


The Doctor and The Hidden Wolf

by Kelkat9



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Detectives, Alternate Universe - Future, Bad Wolf Rose Tyler, Community: au_bingo, F/M, Telepathic Bond, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-17
Updated: 2013-04-19
Packaged: 2017-12-08 18:52:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/764827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelkat9/pseuds/Kelkat9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hundreds of years in the future, Earth is inhabited by natural born humans and offspring of alien-human relations known as half breeds or halfs by certain contentious groups of humans. One half known only as the Doctor, works for Earth's Temporal Protection Agency and has been sent to investigate terrorist activity at Vitex Industries. What he finds there will change his life forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is written for Trope Bingo - AU Detective and Telepathy. This will be more of a police procedural in the beginning but it evolves into adventure and some smut. I've never written a Nine AU before or a multi chapter Nine fic before either.

People in the twenty first century enjoyed speculating at what future Earth would be like. Some said it would be a pristine, peaceful place, a heaven on Earth. Others swore it would be dirty, polluted, a place of damnation and suffering. The truth was it was something in between both of those visions.  
  
Technology raged forward as people speculated, but there were set backs, corruption, disease, war, redemption, spirituality and a myriad of the best and worst of humanity all of which formed the future. The world did change, humans adapted but some human traits didn’t change at all. At least, that was the opinion of the tall broad shouldered, leather wearing tough, agent of the newly formed Temporal Protection Agency.  
  
He wasn’t entirely human. As the world evolved and technology allowed humans to travel further than they had before and touch the stars, humans touched a lot more than stars. They met, commingled, and far more with alien species. It was only a matter of time before the offspring of such commingling came to be noticed. Some were turned away by radical humans intent on racial purity. More modern thinking and open minded people fought for their rights. It was a brutal battle on planet Earth but the liberal thinkers won and anyone with human heritage was permitted to reside on Earth, provided they registered with Earth authorities and were deemed non-threatening and a contributing member of society.  
  
Hybrids had certain abilities most humans lacked such as telepathy, time sense and other advanced senses and unique skills. The agent known only as the Doctor had several of those special abilities that made him particularly adept for the TPA. He was often called in on cases that seemed to involve half-breeds or _Halfs_ as they were known. His present case was a particularly interesting mystery. He was in the Vitex Tower, headquarters for Vitex Industries, a shining modern skyscraper dominating the London skyline thrust out of the smoggy overcrowded lower London streets. There had been an attack in their executive offices and several people were dead. Surprisingly, none of them were Vitex Employees.  
London Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was already there and from the Doctor’s perspective, bolloxing up the evidence. Poshly dressed in his ultra-modern and tailored black suit with purple detailing, Detective Inspector Adam Mitchell sneered as the Doctor walked into the room.  
  
“I don’t want any bloody Halfs in my crime scene,” he snipped. “For all I know you had something to do with this. PC Davidson! Escort this _Half_ out of here!” DI Mitchell ordered, practically spitting out the word Half..  
  
The Doctor rolled his eyes at the DI who he viewed as nothing more than a pissy pretty boy posturing and trying to prove he was more man that actually was. He crossed his leather clad arms across his chest and glowered at the DI. While the DI was dressed in his well-cut, immaculate suit, the Doctor wasn’t out to impress anybody. He didn’t need to. He was tall and well built, wearing only a worn black leather coat from an era gone by, jeans, a green jumper and black boots. He didn’t need much more than his piercing icy blue eyes and a commanding presence to get his point across.  
  
“But Sir,” PC Davidson said, nervously looking at the Doctor and then back at the DI. “he’s here under orders of the TPA. Detective Chief Superintendent Lethbridge Stewart called them to take a look at the scene.”  
  
“I don’t care if he’s the President of the World Council, I want him outta here! He’s nothin’ but a stinkin’ Half and I won’t have him corrupting my scene with his dirty…” DI Mitchell began ranting.  
  
“Detective Inspector!” an older, sturdy man with military bearing shouted as he walked up to the men, wearing a long gray overcoat, a cane at his side.  
  
PC Davidson stood more erect and just about saluted the man. Even D.I. Mitchell seemed to show more respect, although just barely, and he continued to glare at the Doctor.  
“That’s enough. The TPA will be taking over this scene and you will cooperate and provide the Doctor with whatever assistance he requires,” D.C.S. Alistair Lethbridge Stewart ordered in a no nonsense tone of voice.  
  
“With all due respect sir, this scene is clearly the work of Halfs and I find it…”  
  
“Yes it very well may be and that’s why I called the TPA. It’s their jurisdiction,” Lethbridge Stewart said, interrupting the clearly irate DI.  
  
DI Mitchell glared at the Doctor who showed nothing but boredom with his grandstanding and territorialistic behavior.  
“Yes, Sir,” DI Mitchel practically spit out. “I’ll clear my people out now. God forbid we interfere with the mighty TPA,” he snarked and ordered the room be cleared.  
  
Lethbridge Stewart turned to the Doctor with a slight smile and held out his hand. “Good to see you, Doctor, although I’m sorry it’s under these circumstances.”  
  
The Doctor, who tended to keep to himself, smiled and gripped Lethbridge Stewarts hand firmly and smiled back. “Good to see you too, old friend.” The Doctor looked around the room at the twelve bodies lying contorted on the floor. “Not your everyday crime scene,” he commented and started walking around.  
  
“I’m afraid not,” Lethbridge Stewart agreed, looking down at a body that was aged to the point of desiccation. “An alarm was raised by Vitex security two hours ago advising us that they were under terrorist attack. Our forces surrounded the building and after securing each floor and evacuating the civilians we found this.”  
  
“Two hours! And you’re just callin’ me now? Typical,” the Doctor snorted as he knelt by one of the bodies.  
  
Lethbridge Stewart walked over to him. “Is this some kind of new terrorist weapon or was it…” he asked, not finishing his sentence but the question was clear. Was this the work of some dangerous alien-human half-breed intent on terrorizing humans or worse?  
  
The Doctor whipped out his sonic screwdriver, a scanning device he invented, he once told Lethbridge Stewart, and waved it over a body staring at the readings. He stood up and looked at his old friend. “We’ll need to examine each body in a post mortem and take a good look around here. I’ll be needin’ to talk to any witnesses too.”  
  
“The witnesses are being held in Mr. Tyler’s office. It looked like the terrorists were heading straight for him.”  
  
“Is that a good guess or do ya know?” the Doctor asked and squatted down to look at another body. “Did they say what they were after?”  
  
“The witnesses claimed not, just that they were threatening everyone, intent attacking the executive suite. Given that they were heading in the direction of Pete Tyler’s office, it’s a good guess he was the target.”  
  
The Doctor snorted. Typical humans, always choosing the easy answer. He often wondered how they survived with the way they barely used their tiny little brains. Not that he could say too much, he was after all, part human, just to a lessor degree.  
  
He continued through the room, noting more readings and taking in every detail, some that humans would miss. All of the dead terrorists, if that’s what they really were and at this point he wasn’t sure of that, were dressed in all black uniforms, carrying pulse rifles along with stun bombs and most curiously, hypo injecting dart guns. They all appeared to be fairly young, in their twenties and were a mix of men and women. There was a faint scent of artron energy surrounding them as if they had fallen into a time vortex without protection. He paused at that discovery and wondered exactly what Vitex was doing here.  
  
He stood up and looked at the room, tapping further into his own extraordinary senses. They were at the top of the tower and he couldn’t imagine the assailants taking the lift. They had to gain entrance another way. Could they have used some type of time vortex manipulator? He had heard rumors that the experimental devices had found their way to the black market but it would have taken several to get this team here and use of temporal devices on Earth was forbidden. It would have set off alarms at the TPA and to his knowledge, that didn’t happen.  
He looked at Lethbridge Stewart.  
  
“I want to talk to the witnesses and Pete Tyler too,” the Doctor announced as he took in the crime scene.  
  
Just then, a tall good looking man with raven black hair, blue eyes and a charming smile walked in dressed in a long navy coat. The Doctor looked over at him. “Jack, I want this entire room hologrammed for digital reproduction. Catalog everything down to the paperclips on the floor. Get Dr. Jones in here to examine the bodies and take ‘em back to the morgue for detailed analysis and I want temporal scans run on every bit of this building along with latent energy readings as well.”  
  
“On it!” Jack acknowledged, winking at him. He turned toward another tall dark haired man dressed in a well-tailored navy suit who walked up behind him. “You heard the Doctor, Ianto. Let’s get set up to image the scene, call in Dr. Jones to begin preliminary eval of the deceased and get Mickey in to grab the security footage as well.” Jack then turned to the Lethbridge Stewart. “Commander,” he said and saluted him.  
  
“Not any more, Captain Harkness but thank you anyway. Just D.T.A. now. Glad to see the Doctor finally has some back up.”  
  
“Back up,” the Doctor snorted. “More like the innuendo squad with Captain Flirt and his accomplice back there,” the Doctor groused although it was clear he said so with a slight bit of affection.  
  
Jack grinned broadly. “Always open to being more than just a flirt,” he teased.  
  
“Yeah, well you’d have to buy me drink first. Not easy, me,” the Doctor said with a slight twinkle in his eyes and turned to Lethbridge Stewart. “Come on then, Alistair, let’s go talk to this Mr. Tyler and see what exactly he’s been up to.” The two of them left the room as Jack and Ianto went to work, although Jack may have shot a few looks at the Doctor’s denim clad arse as he walked away.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Pete Tyler, CEO, of Vitex Industries, worked his way up from a middle-class education background. He was street smart, creative and risk taker. He didn’t have any posh university degree, but he could outmaneuver or outstrategize some of the most brilliant business minds on the planet. His competitors grudgingly admired him although often hurled insults at his lack of an education.

He didn’t really care. After all, he was rich and the head of one of the most powerful companies on the planet and perhaps even in the whole Earth Alliance Empire that stretched to its colonies across the galaxy. He was also a family man and believed in giving back to the people who helped make him a success. His wife, Jackie, oversaw several charitable organizations and championed rights for alien-human hybrid children abandoned and left to suffer off world. She helped found a foster home program so that no child was left defenseless and suffering alone.

They had two children: a twenty-one-year old-daughter, Rose Marion Tyler, who worked with her father, and a son, Tony, aged six. His daughter attended public school until she was sixteen and then dropped out and all but disappeared from the public view, not reappearing until a year later when she was seen attending a fundraiser with her parents. Since then, she had attended and dropped out of university, spent time volunteering at her mother’s charity and eventually went to work with her father at Vitex. As best as anyone could tell, she seemed to avoid the typical debutante, rich privileged upper class set. It made the Doctor suspicious of her. Anyone who acted out of the norm was automatically classified as someone to be watched.

Pete Tyler’s offices were luxurious, although not as posh as the Doctor would expect. He’d investigated politicians, well placed bureaucrats, the few aristocracy that still existed, along with a myriad of the rich and famous so he’d seen some truly ostentatious dwellings and offices. Pete Tyler’s office screamed well off but not obscenely so. This was another detail which he tucked away for further evaluation.

The reception area of the CEO’s office was filled with weeping, banged-up and otherwise shaken employees. They were typical executives and admin personnel ranging in age from early twenties to late fifties, men and women all dressed in conservative suits popular at the moment; it was a sea of sleek, grays, blacks and navies mixed with crisp white shirts accessorized with a scarf, pin or tie in various vibrant colors to set off the otherwise boring attire.

The normally well-groomed group was looking a bit disheveled. Some were sitting on soft leather sofas and chairs or milling about the wall to ceiling windows looking out over the smog covered London cityscape, staring at the floating transports zipping by the windows. Some sipped tea or something stronger and clung to one another while others sat solitary just staring blankly. It would take some time to talk to each of the fifteen people who had witnessed what had happened.

Immediately, he decided it would be best to have Jack and Ianto do the talking. They were charming, pretty and didn’t look threatening. Jack had many unique talents, one being his ability to set people at ease and Ianto was a talented empath, able to sense when to push people, who was being deceitful and when to ease off and wait for the truth to be revealed. They’d be better at cajoling these shocked or traumatized people into revealing what they thought happened.

The Doctor looked over at Alistair, who was staring across the room through open double-frosted glass doors emblazoned with the Vitex logo. The Doctor followed his gaze into the next room, Pete Tyler’s private office. There were a few more people milling about along with the CEO himself. Pete Tyler was a tall, well-built man dressed in a sleek, designer navy suit. He had short-cropped ginger hair and grey-blue eyes and was at present standing next to a fiftyish-year-old brown-haired woman in a suit with his arm around her shoulders as if to comfort her while talking to another older greying blonde-haired man and looked to be giving instructions.

The Doctor wasted no further time and walked through the double doors but paused almost like he’d hit an invisible wall except this was no physical barrier. He had a tickle in the back of his mind, and that was most assuredly not normal. This tickle usually meant there was another telepath, empath or other being nearby with similar mental abilities. He immediately went on high alert and looked around the room. He knew that Vitex did employ some registered Halfs but they were either in the security or in the R&D departments.

He caught the eyes of a few people but passed them by deeming them ordinary until he found a petite blonde-haired girl with haunted whiskey colored eyes staring right back at him, almost through him like she could see the deepest darkest parts of his soul. He blinked in surprise and someone walked in front of her and when the man passed she was gone.

The entire floor was sealed off, so he knew she couldn’t leave, but something inside of him wasn’t content to leave it at that. He had to find her and quickly and not because he feared her or what she might be capable of but because she did something no one else had. She’d broken through carefully erected and fortified barriers around who he was, peered into his alien self which he tucked away deep inside his mind so that he could exist around humans. She had looked directly at his essence and that he couldn’t allow. Unfortunately, before he could begin his hunt for her, Alistair walked up and called out to Pete Tyler and made introductions.

“Mr. Tyler, may I introduce the Doctor, he’s the special agent from the Temporal Protection Agency who’s been assigned to investigate this incident.”

“The TPA? What interest do they have in terrorists?” Pete Tyler asked, staring hard at the Doctor but revealing little or at least he thought he was.

The Doctor had to give him a nod. Pete Tyler was impressive at guarding himself but he was no match for the Doctor’s extraordinary talents. The Doctor intuitively could sense, time lines, temporal anomalies and fluctuations; he was a gifted telepath and could tell when people were lying or hiding something and often was able to dig into their thoughts. Immediately, the Doctor sensed that Pete Tyler didn’t want him here.

“Mr. Tyler, you had a bunch of terrorists spontaneously age into shriveled husks in a matter of minutes. That falls under TPA jurisdiction. So why don’t you just tell me what’s goin’ on here and save us from wastin’ time nattering on ‘bout nothin,” the Doctor said gruffly.

Alistair shot him a warning look right before Pete pulled himself up to the imposing man he could be. “Just what are you implying, Doctor…..what did you say your name is?”

“Just the Doctor, and stop playin’ games. People have died today, not to mention your employees are shook up about it. Now spill. What kind of tech are you muckin’ about with that could cause spontaneous temporal acceleration?”

Pete’s jaw clenched, and he took a step toward the Doctor and stared him directly in the eyes. “I’m not playing games, Doctor. Let me be very clear. I called the authorities because someone broke into one of the most secure buildings in the city without setting off an alarm and attacked my people for reasons I don’t know. I want to know who they are and how they suddenly appeared here without triggering any security protocols. Maybe you should think about who the victims are here ‘cos I think you’re missing the point.”

“Oh, I get the point,” the Doctor said darkly, not backing down. “Someone came sniffin’ around here looking for some tech you’ve got tucked away, maybe something you knicked off world that would be worth the risk of breakin’ into, as you put it, one of the most secure buildings in London, something worth dying for. I don’t bet you like that, not good for your profit margin, is it?”

Pete Tyler was furious at this point and his voice was soft but deadly. “Is that so? So Vitex, a company that’s known for products ranging from soft drinks, vitamin waters, energy bars, health products and hi tech apparel is making weapons? ‘Cos our labs are so set up to do that when their focus is healthy living. And not only that, you think that such a dangerous project would be kept up here near me, my daughter, my employees and friends instead of secured down in R&D or in our vault? That’s quite an imagination you have, Doctor. Maybe you should use that imagination to find out what’s really going on here instead of attacking me and my company.” Pete turned to Alistair who was watching with amusement as the two of them butted heads. “Alistair, we’re done here.” He turned back to the Doctor with a cold, angry glare. “I have people to take care of. You do whatever the hell it is you’re supposed to and get out of my building.”

“We’re not done,” the Doctor announced.

“Yes, we are,” Pete said and turned and walked away, ignoring the Doctor.

Alistair put a hand on the Doctor’s arm as he was about to follow Pete. “Doctor,” he said.

The Doctor whipped around, annoyed about being dismissed by the CEO. “He’s hiding something, and this isn’t over.”

“I’m sure it’s not, but now is not the time. He’s right. People are dead, hurt and traumatized. Pete Tyler isn’t going anywhere. Look at him. He’s trying to help his people and after all that pushing, he’s not going to do anything but push back.”

“All that pushing?” the Doctor demanded, still angry at the invasion of his mind by someone, possibly the blonde girl and what he felt was the evasive nature of the rich businessman. “That’s my job, Alistair! You know that.”

“I’m not trying to tell you how to do your job, my friend, but I know Pete Tyler. He’s not a bad man, but he’s one that demands to be treated with respect and frankly, he’s earned it. You attacked him and not long after his people were assaulted. Of course he’s defensive and a bit annoyed at you. Best to let him cool off and work at helping his people and get a grip on what happened. You push him now, and me may buckle down and call in his own security to investigate. His employees see that and may decide to be less than cooperative. They’re quite loyal to him, you know.”

The Doctor scowled. Diplomacy was not his strong suit. He preferred to storm through, push for answers and give no second chances. As much as he hated it though, he knew Alistair was right. “Fine,” he finally said petulantly. “You sound like you know ‘im. Wanna tell me how?”

Alistair smiled. "You remember the conflict on the Degazi colony, Cybus Industries and the Cyber attack?”

“Yeah, nasty business. Five thousand dead and another thousand held hostage. I wasn’t there. They had me one quadrant over workin’ on who was supplyin’ them with tech. What does Tyler have to do with that?”

“He went undercover for us. It was early on in his business when he was still building up his company and it was his and Jackie’s first trip off world to promote Vitex and find investors. While Pete was in meetings with John Lumic and his associates to discuss a possible investment, Jackie was working with a charity helping set up a local clinic on the colony to help the poor and those in need. We had received reports warning us Lumic was up to something so Pete agreed to send us intelligence reports while he was there. Unfortunately, things deteriorated. Communications went down and they were on their own. Pete was able to coordinate with our supporters there and even set up a distraction that allowed us to get in without too many losses. Lumic learned what he was doing and blew up the clinic where his wife was volunteering. It nearly killed her. We barely got to them in time. Pete kept his cool, even when his wife was injured and he thought they’d be killed. His assistance was critical in taking down Lumic and stopping Lumic's army of Cyber terrorists. Pete Tyler is a clever and honorable man, not the type to deal in arms or illegal tech. If something like that is going on here, he’s not a part of it.”

“I’ve seen nobler men fall and fall hard. Lines between right and wrong get blurred. It’s easy to fall on the wrong side. Especially when you think you’re right,” the Doctor reminded him.

“That sounds like experience,” Alistair commented, cocking an eyebrow at his friend.

“Maybe it is. You get tough in this work.” He paused staring at Pete Tyler pulling a few people over into a small meeting. None of them seemed intimidated by him and he had an air of someone who was concerned but was proactive. Pete Tyler didn’t sit around and let things happen. He took a stand and got things done. This was the Doctor’s assessment at observing him and although he would never admit it, he admired him a little bit.

The Doctor turned to Alistair. “All right. I’ll let Tyler alone…for now.” The Doctor was still suspicious of Pete Tyler but it was tempered by Alistair’s opinion. He’d keep an eye on Pete Tyler and see if anything odd caught his attention.

Meanwhile, he tapped his earpiece and told Jack he needed him and Ianto to get in here and lay on the charm and asked for a status report. Just as Jack finished updating him on the status of scene evaluation and evidence collection, he caught sight of the blonde who had set his senses on alert. She was holding the hand of a young woman who had a head wound, probably an administrative assistant of some sort. The Doctor quickly rang off and made his way straight toward her. He wasn’t letting her out of his sight this time.


	3. Chapter 3

Rose Tyler was not the typical girl everyone expected her to be. Being the daughter to one of the richest men on Earth, there were many preconceived notions about her. The truth, however, was that Rose was nothing like the vapid rich bitch socialite people expected her to be. She had nothing in common with the planet hopping party girls who made headlines for outrageous spending habits and nights of debauchery which the interstellar entertainment news liked to report. In truth, her parents raised her to remember that nothing was a sure thing and any day they could lose it all; the importance of being able to adjust and adapt without missing a beat and most of all, appreciate the people around her.

Rose had attended public school and although not the best student, she had done well enough. She did many of the same things other average girls did, went to birthday parties, sleepovers, studied for tests and participated in after schools sports such as gymnastics. Of course, all of that stopped when she met a boy who swept her off her feet. Jimmy Stones was smart, good looking and had an ego the size of London. He was brash and wasn’t afraid to speak his mind on every topic. In short, he was different from other boys Rose had dated and he knew it. It only took one dinner with the Tylers for Pete and Jackie to assess him and that assessment was not a good one. They made clear to Rose that he wasn’t welcome in their house and they didn’t want her dating him. That set fuel to Rose’s desire for him and she ran off with him without thinking of the consequences. Jimmy wanted more than just Rose’s body. He wanted to use her family name, connections and wealth. Unfortunately, it all ended badly for there were things about Rose Tyler that he didn’t know.

Rose’s father found her terrified and practically catatonic cowering in a corner of a decrepit abandoned building with the boy and three others screaming, writhing or unmoving on the dingy floor. He scooped up his daughter in tattered dirty clothing and left, calling his trusted head of security, Jake, to deal with the young men. Rose was brought home and tended too in private. Jimmy and the other boys were discovered in an area of London known for drug use. It was assumed the boys had dosed up with some off world narcotic. None of them ever recovered completely or could remember what happened. In fact, those that survived had lost not just months of memories but years. Rose never spoke about what happened but Pete had a good idea and it scared him. His daughter was special in so many ways and he knew he had to protect her. He and Jackie did everything in their power to help her heal from whatever had happened, to give her a normal life and make sure she was safe. It had taken months but she had come around, older, more mature and in touch with things that neither Pete nor Jackie could ever understand.

Rose eventually opened up but declined to talk about what happened in the warehouse. She talked to her parents about enough for them to know she had been abused more than once and whatever had happened had probably saved her from further harm. Jackie soon coaxed her to leave the house Rnd open up. Rose attended some public events with Jackie, enjoyed being a big sister to her brother and went on to university. She soon found she was not suited for the structured life of university and craved something more but didn’t know what it was. She and her friend Shareen went on a trip to Paris with Shareen’s wild artist uncle, Howard. In Paris, Rose learned how much she enjoyed traveling, exploring and diving into the unknown while picking up languages and skills on the go. She found she was more of a people person and good at judging people. She had also inherited her father’s keen sense for business and intuitively knew when to jump on something and helped Uncle Howard establish himself in a gallery in Paris. It was then that her path became clear and she knew what she needed to do. She returned to London and announced to Pete, much to his delight, that she wanted to come to work at Vitex. Thus, she ended up interning and eventually being hired by Vitex in marketing and public relations. Rose worked hard, expecting no free rides and had impressed Pete and his department heads. Rose was soon moving up and tasked with keeping up with the trends, and attending events promoting Vitex products. It was a good life even if she still felt something was missing from her life.

Rose’s office was on the same floor as Pete’s and at the time of the attack she was in a meeting with him, the Director of Marketing, his team as well as a few sales executives. Rose thought back on all of that as she comforted Trisha, one of the administrative assistants who’d been caught in the middle of everything. A cold feeling had seeped into her in the meeting and images flashed before her eyes. It wasn’t the first time this had happened but this time, it was worse. She was practiced at hiding such things, even from her father. No one would know what she experienced as they discussed market shares, successes, failures and the future. Oh, but the future was something Rose held close to her and it was that future which was causing her distress. A darkness was descending. It was murky but she felt time slowing and certain possible futures fading away while other frightening possibilities blossomed in fire and death. She had blinked and wished for light to overcome darkness and to keep those she loved safe. That’s when the noise of weapons fire and screaming filled the air. The building defense system was engaged and she could almost feel the air vibrating with it, time was in flux.

Her father had jumped up and ushered her to the back of the room with a few others as he took command, communicating with building security and pulling a pulse gun that was in a hidden compartment in a wall which he threw at Mr. Copper, the Vice President of Product Development, who wielded it like an expert much to Rose’s surprise. She knew her dad had some experience with the military and had been involved in some off world battle but didn’t know the details other than he was more than capable of protecting his family. She watched him arm himself and he and Mr. Copper take up positions by the door. She didn’t see much after that due to others in the room panicking around her and pushing her toward a wall off to the side of her father’s office.

She looked down at Trisha and squeezed her hand, promising her everything would be all right but suddenly felt her skin prickle. She knew immediately what it was. It was the black leather clad man she’d seen earlier. When he entered the room, the air shifted and crackled. It was like being out in the wilderness as a storm was approaching. The air almost had a scent of ozone or maybe it was just that feeling of anticipation as you waited for lightening to strike. She felt him standing beside her, his blue eyes drilling into the back of her head. Rose pulled herself inward and visualized walls of ice, rock, titanium steel and enforced with extrapolator shielding as she had been taught by a special tutor hired by her father long ago.

She slowly turned and stared at him. He was tall, broad shouldered and well built, dressed casually in jeans, a jumper and black leather jacket but he was anything but casual with the way he loomed over her and stared at her as if he was trying to crack her open and pour her out for him to examine. Rose wasn’t going to let him intimidate her or even think he was. She patted Trisha and then stood up.

“And who are you?” she demanded with an arched brow.

“I’ll be the one askin’ the questions here,” he stated and shifted as he focused on the blonde dressed in business casual trousers, a fitted blue leather jacket over a purple silk t-shirt. His brow furrowed at how tightly her mind was blocked from his. It had been a long time since he’d encountered anyone with such tight mental defenses.

“Sorry, but my office was just attacked by terrorists so I’m not talkin’ to anyone until I know who you are and see your ID,” she answered and crossed her arms in front of her.

“All right. Point taken,” the Doctor said, nodding and whipped out an old worn wallet and presented it to her. “I’m the Doctor, Agent for the TPA.”

Rose looked at the blank piece of paper in front of her. She knew psychic paper when she saw it but wasn’t about to let him know that. Still, he’d made it in past her father so she doubted he was lying. Besides, she could always tell when someone was being deceitful and there was something about this agent. He was different and possibly dangerous to her, not that a hint of danger ever stopped her.

“Just the Doctor?” she asked, arching an eyebrow at him.

“That’ll do. Now then Ms.?” he asked.

“Tyler, Rose Tyler.”

“Pete Tyler’s daughter. Right, so you were here when the attack happened then?” he asked as he tried to suss her out. When he’d first seen her, it was like an instant connection between them and not in a human way. Now, she was acting very…ordinary and yet, he knew she wasn’t. She was not registered as a Half but there was something about her that was nonhuman. He wouldn’t and couldn’t let that be. It was time to push things along and find out exactly who Rose Tyler was.

“All right, Rose Tyler, why don’t you tell me what happened?” he asked, and continued to examine her in a way only he could.

Rose recounted what she’d seen and what happened in the aftermath. Truly, she hadn’t seen much as her father had made her stay in his office while he and Mr. Copper dealt with what had happened. It wasn’t until injured and traumatized people began filtering in that she knew how bad things were.

“That it then?” he asked as if he didn’t believe a word she said.

“Yeah, pretty much,” Rose answered.

“Nothin’ else you want to add?” he asked, still trying to probe her, looking for cracks in the very impenetrable walls erected around her mind.

Rose stared at him for a moment. She knew he was dangerous. He was TPA and all it took was one question from him and she could be hauled in for testing or worse. Not to mention, it could ruin her father and destroy her family. She couldn’t let that happen. If nothing else, she had to protect her brother, Tony.

“Yeah, that’s it and if you don’t mind, I should really see to the injured. Lots of people are upset if you missed it.”

“I don’t miss anything. Brilliant I am,” he said, still looking at her in an odd way.

“Right,” she said and started to back away.

“I didn’t say we were done,” he insisted.

Rose looked at him annoyed. “I told you everythin. I was in here and didn’t see what happened.”

“Maybe,” he said. “But you still know more than you’re sayin. Why don’t you tell me ‘bout whatever Vitex is hidin’ that did this?”

Rose burst out into laughter which took him by surprise. Her face lit up, her eyes sparkled and she had the most glorious smile he had ever seen. It riveted him and he didn’t know why. He was never this effected by anyone and here he was letting himself get a bit swept away by this girl, this girl who touched his mind in a way she shouldn’t be able, this girl who was different but wasn’t a registered Half, this girl who was the daughter of one of the wealthiest and most powerful men on Earth. But, when she smiled like she was now, he didn’t care about any of that.

“Doctor, Vitex doesn’t dabble in that kind of tech. I mean, we make nutritional supplements, vitamin waters, performance enhancing sportswear, sports equipment, the latest sonic football, all natural cosmetics, hair products and we have some subsidiaries that run spas and offer nontraditional alternative and all natural medical services but we don’t have weapons or something that someone would kill people. Unless, of course, you think our new prototype sports brassier has intentions of, I dunno, takin’ over the world,” she said with a tongue teasing smile.

His tough exterior cracked slightly and he had to fight the smile that wanted to blossom on his face. “Oh, you never know. Seen sentient plastic try and take over the Gamma Colony once. Nasty business that.” He paused and looked her up and down and something inside of him couldn’t let it go even though he knew he should stop. “You sayin’ your brassier had somethin’ to do with this?” he asked with an amused look in his eye.

Rose couldn’t help the giggle and the naughty look in her eye. There was something about him that pulled at her. She didn’t know if it was tough exterior that hid something more beneath, the way he waltzed in here expecting everyone to yield to him or if it was those piercing blue eyes but she responded to it.

“Why, you wanna take my bra in for interrogation?” Rose asked cheekily.

Just at that moment, the Doctor’s subordinate, Jack Harkness walked up grinning. “I’d be happy to collect that piece of evidence…personally,” he said, looking at Rose. “Captain Jack Harkness and who might you be?” he asked, laying on the charm with a hidden layer of telepathic glamour that persuaded most humans to trust him.

“Jack,” the Doctor said with warning. “This is Rose Tyler and she was just tellin’ me about Vitex’s products.”

“I’ll bet she was,” Jack said with a wink at Rose. He then turned to the Doctor. “Martha’s finished her on site assessment and is transporting the bodies back to do a full eval. Ianto and Mickey are completing their scans and picking up security footage and data. I’m going to continue interviewing witnesses and Ianto will be up to give me a hand as soon as he finishes with Mickey.”

The Doctor nodded. “Good.” When he turned back to continue talking to Rose, she was gone. This just didn’t annoy him, it triggered his hunting instinct and not just to catch her for this case or the TPA. It actually had nothing to do with his job. She was a mystery and he had to unravel her for his own curiosity. When he found her, she was once again tending to an employee, but this time she sat with a young man who was staring across the room not saying anything. She just sat there rubbing his arm, not talking but being there for him.

Most people would feel the need to utter platitudes and words of comfort unable to stand the silence of another human being shaken from the false security of their daily life, of eating, sleeping and working day after day. In that moment, the Doctor saw a glimpse off something about her, a wisdom beyond her years. A person didn’t come by that without suffering some tragedy or hardship. This girl had been through something traumatic. He was going to find out what that was and how she’d become this poised, compassionate young woman at such a young age as well as how she had touched him and triggered his feelings like this. Before this day was out, he would solve the puzzle that was Rose Tyler.


	4. Chapter 4

As the Doctor made his way toward Rose to try and find out more about her, Alistair stopped him.

"Doctor, I think you should see this," he said and pulled him toward Pete Tyler who was staring at vid screen inset in the wall.

Pete shot him a hard look but nodded his head as the Doctor walked up beside him and gazed at the code spinning across the screen.

"It's not possible," the Doctor said as he focused on it, shock evident on his face.

"You recognize this?" Pete asked. "My people found it embedded in our security protocols."

The Doctor turned to him. "When did this first appear?"

Jake Simmonds ran into the room. "Mr. Tyler, something's goin' on. The Building just locked down and I mean everything locked down from lifts, to transports to windows to doors. No one's gettin' in or out."

The Doctor looked at Jack who was touching his ear comm. He looked worriedly at the Doctor. "Martha's in the lobby. She was about to take the bodies out when the building sealed. Mickey's working on it now."

"Tell 'im not to bother. I want him focused on securing the inside of the building and keeping an eye out for anything out of place. We're not alone."

Jack nodded and his jaw tightened. His composure changed from charmer to soldier. He walked out of the room with purpose. He had seen the look in the Doctor's eyes and knew this had changed from an investigation into terrorist activity to something akin to an active war zone.

Jake walked over to the Doctor. "If somethin' is goin on in this building, I need to know about it. The security of this building and everyone in it is my responsibility."

The Doctor looked at Jake. Pete's head of security was a Half and the Doctor had read about him in his report. Jake was older than he looked. His father was from a race that aged slower, had incredible healing capabilities and had acute visual senses. His father was also killed by a bunch of Human purist fanaticals when Jake was a child. It was due to his father's quick thinking that Jake and his mother survived, hidden in a cargo hold of an interstellar freighter with a cobbled together perception filter preventing them from being found. That perception filter, however, had not stopped Jake from watching his father killed as his mother clung to him. It was only through bribery, his mother's family's good standing and the political backlash from the event that allowed Jake and his mother to settle back on Earth during such a tumultuous time.

Jake was raised on Earth away from any big metropolitan areas and away from the people like those who had murdered his father, but he never forgot about it. He grew up knowing that he was different than the humans around him and with a strong desire to protect people, any people, from that sort of mob behavior and terrorism. He never attended university but was recruited by an elite Earth interstellar security force at a young age. He excelled and rose through the ranks. He met Pete during the Lumic incident and not long after, Pete hired him for his personal security and eventually Vitex security. Jake was part of the Tyler family whether or not it was what he wanted and he was fiercely protective of them.

The Doctor knew he was capable and he needed him on their side. "Jake is it?" he asked. Jake nodded tersely.

"You see that signal on the screen?" the Doctor asked, indicating the screen on the wall.

"Yeah, it's not part of our protocols," Jake said and took a step closer. "Wait, that's…" he paused and looked at the Doctor. "That can't be. I mean I've seen that once before a long time ago but they were all killed."

"What do you mean?" Pete demanded. "What is it? Who are these people that attacked us?"

Jake looked over at him, his eyes hardening. "The Cult of Skaro," he practically spit out.

"No! That's not possible," Mr. Copper, exclaimed. "They were wiped out of existence when the Earth Alliance joined up with the Arcadian Confederation."

"That was decades ago," Pete said softly, rubbing at his face.

"If they're back, why come here and why now?" Jake asked, looking pensive.

"You lot tell me and you better be quick about it. If the Cult of Skaro is here, Davros won't be too far away. They didn't take a piss without his permission," the Doctor said and began pacing. He stopped near Pete. "So tell me Pete Tyler, why would a bunch of psychotic nutters like this cult who are only interested in universal domination and cleansing the universe of impurities be here?"

"I don't know!" Pete shouted and looked again at the screen streaming code across it.

"The Cult of Skaro used biologic warfare. There's nothing like that here," Jake said, his mind quickly working through possibilities. "Maybe they want to use Pete as a political statement. Holding him hostage, or blowing up Vitex headquarters would get the attention of the Earth Alliance Empire."

"No," the Doctor said in a hard voice. "That's not Davros' way. If he's got an assault team here, it's because he wants something." He walked over to Pete and looked him directly in the eye. "So you tell me Pete, you sure there's no biologic weapons here he'd want," the Doctor demanded and then focused hard on Pete.

"I'm sure," Pete told him but the Doctor saw through that. There was a crack in Pete's mental defenses. It was fear. Pete was scared but not in the way of a man hiding weapons he'd been developing. He was scared for his family, his daughter, Rose. When Pete said No, an image of Rose flashed in his mind along with a fierce emotion of fear and the need to protect her. The Doctor took a step back. Part of him was relieved that Pete had been telling the truth about Vitex and part of him was chuffed that he'd been right about Rose. Another part, however, was angry that Pete was hiding something about Rose or that he could have somehow put his own daughter in jeopardy.

"The TPA has quarantined the building because they think that Davros is here. We have three hours to find and stop the Cult of Skaro," the Doctor informed them.

"Three hours or what?" Pete asked.

"The Cult of Skaro is considered a level one threat to planetary security," the Doctor informed him.

"Shit!" Jake cursed.

"What does that mean?" Mr. Copper asked.

"It means that like a surgeon they will cauterize and remove the infected area. They'll kill everyone in the building to make sure Davros and his people don't escape. Isn't that right Doctor?" Pete asked, a hard bite to his voice.

"Yeah, that's about right," the Doctor agreed and watched as Pete looked over toward Rose who had stopped what she was doing and was staring back at him almost resigned that things were going to hell. That's when the Doctor realized she knew and understood the gravity of the situation. What he didn't know was how Davros would use her and why did he consider her so important that he'd attack Vitex headquarters. Pete turned and paced, staring at the screen one more time before he started barking orders to Jake and his executives.

The Doctor looked over at Rose who was now staring at him as if she knew what he was thinking. The time for secrets was over. He turned back to Pete who was ordering Jake to implement an emergency protocol locking all employees in their offices, arming security forces and coordinate with the Doctor's team.

Alistair walked up to the Doctor. "I can't reach anyone outside the building on my headset. Is that the TPA or Davros?"

"Standard TPA procedure. It's part of the quarantine. No unauthorized communications," The Doctor answered. He turned to Jake. "You got anything other than standard stunners and sonic blasters here?"

Jake stared at him and slowly nodded. "Might have a pulse rifle or two locked up in my office. Maybe even a short range EMP grenade."

"You don't say," the Doctor snarked and looked at Pete. "So Vitex doesn't have any weapons then?"

Pete had recovered from his earlier concern and fear and now bore the posture of a man ready to fight, to defend his daughter and his people. "We don't make weapons here, Doctor, but I never said I was defenseless. Anything Jake has is locked up and no one has access to it except Jake, Bal Copper or me. Now, tell us what you need us to do and let's get on with it."

The Doctor nodded. He needed to have a serious conversation with Pete about Rose but right now he needed to get teams organized and out scouring the building or they'd all be dead in three hours. "Those terrorists that died out there were only the beginning. The TPA quarantined us because they have evidence Davros is here. That means somewhere in this building are more and trust me, they'll be well armed and won't hesitate to kill on sight. They want something or someone in this building and they'll kill to get it. We need to find them and neutralize them by the TPA deadline."

"There's also whatever or whoever killed their first assault team. We still don't know what did that," Alistair reminded them. "We need to gather our resources. Doctor, my team is still in the building. Tell me how my people can help."

The Doctor nodded. "Have 'em team up with Vitex security." He looked over at Jake. "Jake here's in charge." He looked back at Alistair. "You have a problem with that?"

Alistair quirked a smile knowing that the Doctor was not talking about him. "I'm sure Mr. Simmonds knows more about this building than anyone and I am well aware of his unique talents. I trust my people with him."

"And you're people are gonna be good with that?" Jake asked, knowing they would most assuredly not be, especially given that Jake and some of his security force were Halfs and a certain snippy, prejudicial DI had made his feelings on the subject quite clear.

"Leave them to me, Mr. Simmonds. We're all in this together and none of us will make it out if we don't find and stop Davros and his followers," Alistair assured him.

The Doctor, Jake and Alistair very quickly organized themselves, divvying up their people into teams to begin the process of examining every part of the building and looking for any anomalies. The Doctor was sure that Davros and his followers would be using some sort of perception filter technology and normal humans may not be aware of them. During all of this, the Doctor observed Pete who appeared to be making his own plans. He noticed that he had pulled one member of Jake's team aside to stay here and keep the people in his offices safe, in particular Rose. The Doctor knew then that he couldn't let it go and it was time to have a chat with Pete Tyler.

He pulled Pete aside to speak to him in private when Alistair called his people up to meet with Jake. "I want you to tell me the truth about Rose," the Doctor demanded. "And don't lie. I know she's different."

"My daughter is not a Half," Pete said with conviction. "And I swear if the TPA suggests otherwise or thinks they can spirit her away, I'll call in every favor owed to me by every politician and committee member and tie up the TPA in so much bureaucracy it will take them years to dig their way out," Pete said in a hushed threatening voice.

The Doctor did not take this well and he stepped closer, doing is best to intimidate Pete. "Now you listen up, Pete Tyler. I don't give a flip about your money or your high placed friends. What I do care about is that girl and what she means to Davros. I know you love her and want her safe but truth is, she's not and if Davros wants her, nothing you can do can keep her safe but maybe I can. Now tell me the truth."

Pete stared hard at the Doctor. It was obvious he was trying to discern what type of man the Doctor was and whether or not he could trust him. "If you report to the TPA what I'm about to tell you, I'll deny it with every fiber of my being and spend every last credit I own fighting it and you. Do I make myself clear?"

"I'm not promising anything until I hear what you have to say," the Doctor responded.

"Not good enough," Pete said and looked over toward Rose who was staring at him and mouthed Tell him. Pete looked back at the Doctor and his face softened. "She's my daughter and none of this is her fault."


	5. Chapter 5

The Doctor could feel the emotion, pain and conflict radiating off of Pete. He set a hand on his shoulder. "I promise to do everything I can to keep her safe."

Pete looked up at him and shut his eyes as he sighed. When he opened them, the Doctor was looking at him with less accusation in his eyes. "My wife and I were on the Degazi colony when John Lumic turned against Earth. He was a madman."

"Yeah, I know about Lumic and Alistair told me what you did for Earth," the Doctor acknowledged softly.

"But he doesn't know everything. We didn't even understand what the consequences were until much later," Pete revealed, a haunted look on his face. "Jackie was in one of Lumic's clinics. He learned I was working with Earth forces and sent his cyber forces to destroy the clinic and kill Jackie. It was almost a day before I got word she was injured but alive." He paused and swallowed. "What we didn't know at the time was those clinics were doing more than rendering healthcare to those in need. They were also using the population as lab rats for Lumic's experiments. When the lab blew, it exposed everyone inside to serums and chemicals he was exposing the patients to, including my Jacks."

The Doctor absorbed these implications and waited for Pete to continue.

After we were transported off the colony, they patched Jacks up and lo and behold, informed us she was pregnant. We were so happy. It was like a miracle, a second chance. Later, information came to light about what was happening in that clinic and the mutations that the people suffered as a result. Jacks took it hard since she'd been there, met those people, held their hands during treatments."

"What was Jackie exposed to?" the Doctor asked, a cold sinking feeling in gut.

Pete looked at him, his eyes black with anger. "Lumic was conducting a variety of tests, genetic manipulations. You've heard of the Prydonian Variant, Omega Three gene splicing and Rassilon Imprimatur?" The Doctor nodded feeling almost sick with the knowledge of what these would do to any living creature much less a developing fetus. "There was something else he was working on. We don't know exactly what it was, only that it was code named Bad Wolf."

The Doctor stared at him. "Jackie was exposed to all this and no one did anything about it?"

"You must understand that Jackie was healthy and there was nothing wrong with her pregnancy. We assumed she'd been lucky. All the doctors assured us that she bore no ill effect from her injuries or anything else. That is…until her last trimester. She started having nightmares and searing pain. As soon as it started, I knew. I just knew what it was. I took her away. Everyone assumed it was because she was due soon and that I took her to some spa resort as a treat but the truth was I took her away to be treated by specialists in private. They induced labor and delivered the baby early. She was perfect, our Rose. She was delivered a month early but they said she was full term. It was like she knew she had to be ready to face the world. She didn't even cry. She was born and just looked at me and for just a moment, I swore I saw a golden glint in her eyes. I hoped that was the end of it. I paid off the doctors and after a few weeks, Jacks and I brought our daughter home."

"But that wasn't the end of it," the Doctor surmised.

"No," Pete said, shaking his head. "At first she was just a normal happy child. Oh she was curious and smart too. Loved to explore and be around people. She had an obsession with animals, wolves especially. Had plushies of them everywhere and couldn't get enough of that nursery story, Little Red Riding Hood. She was just a normal little girl. It wasn't until she reached puberty that things changed."

The Doctor could almost feel what Pete was about to say. Memories of his own childhood flitted through his mind and about how his own senses had become active in a chaotic and painful way. He tamped down his own memories and focused on Pete.

"When she met people, she could see things, future possibilities and seemed to just know things about them. It gave her nightmares and was effecting her school, ability to concentrate and she withdrew. We brought in therapists to help her and she was making progress until that boy Stones arrived on the scene." Pete looked at the Doctor angry at the thought of what had happened. "He influenced her, took advantage, swept her away to use her. He hurt my little girl, Doctor. In the end, she stopped him. I don't know how or what she did but I know it was her that did it. She was a mess when I found her and the boy and his gang of misfits were…well, let's just say they were never going to hurt anyone else again ever."

The Doctor looked into Pete's mind and saw what Pete had seen. He felt anger boil through him at the battered state of a much younger Rose, of the almost broken girl who could barely speak she was so traumatized and all it had taken to heal her. Intuitively, the Doctor knew that despite everything Pete had done, Rose was never quite the same again.

"She protected herself and lost her innocence to some young tough," the Doctor said. "You protected her the best you could and helped her become the young woman she is now but you can't deny there's more to her than meets the eye," the Doctor said, encouraging Pete to continue.

"No, I can't. I secretly hired telepaths, empaths, shamans and spiritualists to come and train her. They helped her gain an understanding of her gifts and how to control and live with them. Nothing bad has happened since, Doctor. I swear to you, Rose wouldn't intentionally hurt anyone and she's far too careful to let something slip. It would kill her to know she hurt anyone."

"That may be, but something happened to those terrorists. Someone wielded temporal energy like a weapon and in a precise manner. Wars are fought over that kind of power and I could see Davros doing anything to get his hands on someone like that."

"But how would he even know? I've kept all of this secret. No one but Jake, you and I know the whole story. I didn't even tell Jacks all of it," Pete revealed.

Before either could say anymore Rose stepped up to Pete and wrapped her arms around him. "It's okay, Dad. I knew this day would come."

"Don't talk like that, Sweetheart," he said as he clung to her, tears in his eyes.

"Davros could have put together a sentient computer virus to gather information, little bits here and there until it put together a profile. He's probably been watching your family for a long time now. He may be a psychotic nutter but he's a brilliant psychotic nutter."

Rose let go of Pete and turned to the Doctor. "I want to help."

"No!" Pete said vehemently. "Absolutely not! I want you here as far from this maniac as possible."

"Your Dad's got a good point. Our primary goal is keepin' you safe. If you can do what I think, I can't let Davros get his hands on you."

Rose stood up tall and glared at the Doctor. "I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, is that what happened with the terrorists then?" the Doctor shot back.

"What makes you think I had anything to do with that? I told you I was in here through the whole thing."

"What makes you think you'd need to see them? Davros wants you 'cos you're powerful." He reached over abruptly and gripped her hand to make a point.

Rose gasped and the Doctor's eyes widened. For one moment it was like electricity shot between them. He could feel her everywhere inside him and around him. She was like a conduit for time. It loved her. She was no alien hybrid, she was an evolved human and she did things to his time sense that curled his toes and shot heat straight through him. She was like some golden seductress with a siren song that twisted and turned around him and made him want to run far and fast as long as he was with her. He dropped her hand.

Rose staggered back a few steps and Pete caught her. He glared at the Doctor.

Rose assured him she was fine. Truth was, she was better than fine. She felt warm and safe and alive, more alive than she had ever felt. He was so different from any man she knew. Rose looked deep into those startling icy blue eyes and knew he'd felt it too. There was something between them and it wasn't just an affinity for time. This Doctor was alone in a dark place determined to surround his heart with an impenetrable fortress. He had been hurt and was suffering but Rose had found the cracks and slipped through. She saw the brilliant and passionate man inside. He was like her in so many ways and yet different. Rose could see how they could fit together helping each other to heal and grow and perhaps more. There was no denying her attraction to him and she was now positive it was a mutual attraction.

With a strong determined attitude Rose looked the Doctor in the eye. "I'm comin' with you."

"The hell you are!" Pete exclaimed.

The Doctor knew Pete had a point. "It's safer if you stay here," he said without anger or conviction. It was like he was parroting some protocol he didn't believe in and all the while, he stared into her eyes.

Rose Tyler didn't like being treated like some fragile piece of pottery. With a stubborn tilt of her head she responded. "No, I'm safer with the Doctor. Besides, my bein' here only puts others in danger, others who can't protect themselves. If this Davros bloke wants me, then maybe he finds me on our terms and not around other people who could be hurt."

The Doctor didn't like this but she was right. This entire situation was dangerous and she was in danger no matter where she was and anyone near here would be collateral damage. Then, there was what he had just felt from her. He couldn't deny that connection but he couldn't embrace it either. He had to keep focused on his job, saving these people and taking down Davros. His feelings for Rose Tyler would have to be pushed to the back of his mind. Unfortunately, that was not as easy as he wished it to be and an underlying feeling of wanting to protect and keep her safe was nagging at him. With a sigh, he had to admit that he couldn't leave her behind.

"All right. You're with me then, but just remember, no wandering off! You do what I say when I tell you."

"What?" Pete shouted. "No, I forbid it! You are not using my daughter as bait!"

Rose laid a hand on her father's arm. "Dad, please. I know how dangerous this is. I'm not gonna hide away here and put everyone in danger. If we don't do something then everyone dies. I won't be responsible for that and I can't just stand by and do nothin. It's time, Dad. You have to let me go to be and do what I was meant to."

Tears prickled Pete's eyes. This was his daughter, his eldest child and he'd never been more proud or terrified. He pulled her into his arms for a tight embrace. When he let her go he looked at her as if he never expected to see her again. "Promise me you'll be careful and won't take any foolish risks."

Rose smiled and nodded. "I'll do my best."

Pete then turned a stern eye on the Doctor. "Take care of my daughter."

The Doctor nodded once and he and Rose left together.

"You sure you know what you're doin?" he asked her as they made their way out to the reception area where Alistair had gathered DI Adam Mitchell who shot annoyed looks at the Doctor.

Rose looked at the Doctor and smiled. "Yeah, I think I do."

The Doctor snorted. "Stupid little ape," he teased. "Nothin' but trouble you are. Got jeopardy friendly written all over you."

Rose laughed. "Yeah, and you love it!" she teased back and bumped her shoulder against his, trying to lighten his mood, get him to open up a bit more. She needed that from him because in reality, she was scared but not in fear of Davros or the Cult of Skaro. She was afraid of what was inside of her.

"What's she doin' here with the Half?" the DI asked, interrupting Alistair and Jake.

"She's with me and that's all you have to know," the Doctor said in a don't screw with me voice. He turned to Alistair. "We ready?"

"As much as we can be, old friend," Alistair replied. He turned to his people. "You have your orders. Cooperate with Mr. Simmonds and his team. Our lives depend on it. This is not some drill or exercise. This is for real. The Cult of Skaro won't hesitate to kill you. Govern your actions accordingly."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter that earns this story an explicit rating

After Alistair's warning, the teams were formed and sent on a hunt around the building. Alistair stayed with Pete on the top floor to help coordinate.

The Doctor and Rose were teamed up with the annoying DI Adam Mitchell and were the last to leave. The Doctor didn't trust the DI with anyone else. All the Employees were locked in their offices so the only people moving in the building were Jake's teams, the Doctor, Rose and Adam. The Doctor and Rose along with their snippy DI cleared the executive level first and then made their way down via the stairwell. Adam made them go down first as he nervously followed up the rear.

"Why's she with us again?" Adam asked the Doctor, staring suspiciously at Rose.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Maybe she's here to stop me from tossin' you down the stairs." Rose smiled and bumped into him in teasingly.

"Don't play with me Half. I'll have you shipped off world before you can utter two words," Adam bragged.

Rose paused and looked back at the DI. "Just what's your problem, Detective Inspector? Last I heard hybrid's were citizens as much as natural borns with all the rights that go with that."

"Only if they're registered," Adam reminded her. "And if it were up to me, we'd ship 'em all off world. They can't be trusted. They don't think like us. You'd do well to remember that. I mean, how do you know this one isn't doin' some kind of mind control on you?"

"'Cos that would be illegal, DI Doofus," the Doctor sassed back.

Rose smiled up at the Doctor. "Because he wouldn't do that. Because he's a good man underneath all this tough bloke exterior and I trust him."

Adam snorted. "Beggin' your pardon, Miss, but you're a fool and Mr. Tyler's a bigger fool for lettin' you tag along like this with him. Besides, this is a police business and it's not proper for some young inexperienced girl to be here. You jeopardize this operation. "

They arrived on the landing to the next floor and the Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver to unlock the door. Rose turned to the DI, annoyance clear on her face. "Oh yeah? Maybe you'd like to test just how much this girl jeopardizes things?"

The DI rolled his eyes. Rose smirked. "Go on DI, give it a go. Come at me. Unless, of course, your intimidated by a rich girl like me?"

The DI walked up casually but moved like lightening attacking her with a form of martial arts. Unfortunately for the DI, Rose had been trained in several human and alien forms of self defense. He grabbed Rose and in his over confidence never saw her swiftly and efficiently move hitting him in several key nerve clusters and then slamming him to the concrete floor. The Doctor stood back, grinning madly at her. Rose stood smiling down at the DI while the Doctor patted her on the back saying, "Nicely done!"

The DI stood up, brushing himself off and glared at Rose.

She shrugged. "There's an old Earth sayin' DI, don't judge a book by its cover. Just because my Dad happens to be successful, doesn't mean I'm spoiled or useless. Now that we have that settled, let's go check out this floor, yeah?"

The Doctor felt something wrong the minute they stepped out of the stairwell. Rose's grip on his hand tightened and he looked at her staring ahead of them almost blankly. He could see her trying to work out what she felt. He smiled softly at her. She was so young and had so much to learn. Then a hardness enveloped him as he thought about what Davros would do to her. That fierce need to protect her filled him with a cold rage. He would not allow anyone to hurt her.

The Doctor heard a noise that didn't belong and stopped abruptly yanking her closer to him, his body tense and ready to do whatever was necessary. He peered around a corner and caught a glimpse of something shimmer. It was an office door. He took a step back and analyzed what he'd seen, heard and felt and determined that it wasn't just an office door. There was something else happening in this section of the building and he was betting that what he'd seen was a perception filter fluctuation. He reached for his sonic screwdriver.

"What the hell is that thing?" the DI whispered harshly looking at the pen-like instrument.

The Doctor looked back at him annoyed seeing that he had pulled out a standard issue pulse gun. "It's a sonic screwdriver," he whispered back, glaring at the DI's gun.

The DI looked at him like he was dirt on his shoe. "What you gonna do with that? Put up cabinets?" he snarked at him. "If the Cult of Skaro is out there, we need a real weapon and a real police official to take charge. Not some stinking Half who'll probably sell us out."

The Doctor's face was expressionless and that alone should have warned the DI he was treading on thin ice. "This is a TPA operation and you work for me and I say no guns."

"Like I'm gonna let some stupid Half leave me defenseless. If the Cult of Skaro is around that corner, we need to call for back up and take 'em out."

"Can we risk using the comm system?" Rose asked, not liking the look in the DI's eyes. She'd seen men like that before, men that wanted to make a name for themselves no matter the cost. He was just a prejudiced wanker, with an ego the size of London who was only looking out for himself.

"No, Davros will be monitoring it. It'd give us away. We need to watch what they're up to before we confront them."

The DI bristled. "You sit here and watch. I'm gonna do something."

"No, you're not," the Doctor ordered and gripped the DI's arm.

The DI then did something very foolish. He shoved Rose out in the middle of the hall where she could be seen.

"What have you done?" the Doctor shouted.

"As I recall, she's the bait. Now piss off. I've got a job to do!" the DI snarled and pulled away ready to attack.

Rose couldn't believe the DI had just done that. When she looked down the hall, she saw something terrify materialize before her. It was some type of robot or perhaps it was a drone of some type. It was shaped sort of like a giant pepper pot, the size of a person, with a plunger and another frightening metal implement sticking out the front. Its blue lit eyestalk zeroed in on her and she felt fear shoot through her. "Human life-form detected!" it shouted in a metallic guttural voice.

"Target has been identi-fied. Rose Marion Tyler, advanced human life form. Rose Tyler must be neutralized and transported to Davros."

Rose scooted back away from it as it aimed one of its metallic arms at her.

"Rose Tyler will cease movement and prepare for transport or she will be in-capacitated."

The Doctor had to think fast. He knew that voice. It was a Dalek. It shouldn't even exist but then Davros and his cult should be dead too. This all just became that much more deadly. If there were was one Dalek, there could be more and they were known to be almost indestructible. They chances for making it out of this alive just decreased by ninety-one percent and he knew that for a fact. He had to get Rose out of here and regroup with Jack, Jake and the other teams. If they were going to have any chance of making it out of here, it would take all of them working together.

Just as he reached for Rose, the DI sprang out, weapon aimed. The Doctor looked up in horror at him. "Adam, No!" he shouted. "Put the weapon down and get out of there!"

He looked over at the Doctor, a cocky smirk on his face. "Didn't figure you for such a milksop but just goes to show. You can't trust a Half for nothin.

The DI then turned and began firing his weapon. The pulse blasts didn't even touch the Dalek. It had shielding that absorbed the blasts. "The human is attacking! It is a threat and must be exterminated!"

The DI just stood in shock and then fired more at the Dalek. "It can't be!" he grunted. "This is the latest energy weapon tech, it cuts through titanium carbide!"

The Doctor wasted no more time on the DI. He grabbed Rose's hand and said, "Run!"

As they ran away, they saw a flash of light and heard the DI scream out once and then was silent. But, that wasn't the end of it. They soon heard the sound of the Dalek pursuing them. Before too long, they ran into an armed group dressed all in black. They were more armed, members of the Cult of Skaro. They skidded to a stop and turned and ran back toward the Dalek making a hard right before they were in firing range and turned down another hall of offices. No one was moving in any of the offices. Rose inhaled sharply, her emotions roiling at what was clearly a massacre. The Doctor sent waves of telepathic encouragement for her to move faster until he spotted a door that was unmarked. He used his sonic screwdriver to open it and shoved Rose inside the tight dark space and soniced it locked. Rose felt shelves biting into her back as the Doctor pulled to him and held her tight to his chest. His arms encircled her, pulling her head close and whispered to her not to make a sound. Her heart raced as she watched him flick something on his sonic, a dim blue glow shining from its tip.

As she buried her face into his jumper, she listened to the noise outside in the hall and her hands dug into his leather coat. She squeezed her eyes shut focused on the thudding of his… She paused. His heartbeat was different… then she heard the Dalek scanning the hall and focused on she and the Doctor not being found. After what seemed like an eternity, the Dalek and Davros troops passed. Rose looked up at the Doctor who had an odd expression on his face, an almost tender look in his eyes.

"They didn't find us," she said softly, gazing up at him.

"Setting 3458A. Masks our biologic signatures," he said, not letting her go and still looking at her intently as if searching her eyes for something. The truth was, he was enjoying have his arms filled with pink and yellow Rose. Her rubbing against him like this was doing things to his senses, things that he hadn't felt in a long, long time.

"Thank you for keeping us safe," she said, her voice taking on a husky quality as she enjoyed being held in his arms, picking up on some of what he was feeling. He made her feel so safe and warm and not only just warm. Senses she worked so hard to tamp down unfurled and curled around him. He was complicated and gorgeous. She broke his gaze to snuggle into his chest and allow his masculine scent of leather and something spicy to surround her. She breathed it in and sighed. His arms held her firmly to him and she knew he was enjoying this just as much as she was.

She looked up and gave him a tongue teasing smile. "Why Doctor, is that a sonic in your pocket?"

He smirked. "Sonic's in my hand," he said, his voice deepening. "Ya know, we should stay in here for a bit, give them time to move on before we make a run for it."

"Mmmm," she hummed. "Sounds like a plan. And what shall we do while we're…waitin' them out?" she asked flirtatiously.

"Rose Tyler, are you tryin' to tempt a TPA agent with your womanly wiles?"

"What, don't TPA agents ya know," she said as she fingered a button on his leather coat. "Flirt and you know go datin' and dancin?"

He snorted. "Course. Done my share of datin' and dancin, just not with anyone like you."

Rose raised her eyebrows at him and shifted her hips to rub up against him. "Someone like me?"

He looked off to the side suddenly fascinated with cleaning supplies. "You're young and Pete Tyler's daughter and well, you're an anomaly, something new. I should be takin' you in."

Rose's smile faded and she looked down at the floor. "But you won't. Take me in I mean. You wouldn't do that 'cos you know they'll hurt me, perform tests and worse. They'll want to know what makes me different." She looked back up at him to find him gazing down at her with a fierce determination in his eyes. "You won't let them do that to me 'cos they did it to you, yeah?"

He looked shocked. How could she know that?

"I could see it in your eyes," she said softly. "You're what people like that DI…" she paused and tears came to her eyes as she thought of his gruesome death as well as the all the other people on this floor who had been murdered.

"Hey now," he said gently and tipped her face up. "None of that. What happened to that pillock is not your fault. He chose to act like an idiot."

Rose nodded and sniffed. "He was wrong. What he called you, I mean. You're not half of anything. You're so much more. You're twice the man he was."

"Rose, don't go romanticizin' me. I'm not entirely human; less human than you might think. My father was…well, he was from an old race that's dead and gone and him with them. I'm no saint either. Seen my share of death and destruction and some of it I caused. I'm anything but innocent and now I'm payin' my penance. You're so young and fresh. You don't understand the evil that's in the universe and how it taints you. I never want that for you. You should run far and fast away from me. I'm sure Pete's already got a plan for that.

"No! You're wrong. I'm not innocent. I…I hurt people too. I didn't mean to. It was an accident but it still happened," she revealed, staring at his jacket. I've tried so hard to make up for it, to hide everything I am away but not with you." She looked up at him, determination in her eyes. "Not with you. There's somethin' 'bout you, Doctor. I feel it deep inside of me. You're important. It's like, the universe needs you, time needs you, I need you."

He shook his head in disbelief. This slip of a girl who he'd known for only a few hours had drilled down to the core of him. When he looked into her eyes, he saw something ancient reflected back. She was innocent yet there was something wise in her as well. Of course, the fact that she lit him on fire in ways that were very primal made him want to say to hell with the planet, the universe and everything in between. He just wanted to take a moment to surround himself with her. Of course, after years of guilt, hardship, being told you are less, and knowing your hands are bloodied by death and destruction, it's easy to pull away.

"Rose, I…"

She pressed two fingers to his lips and smiled at him. "Stop," she said softly. "No matter what happens, I just want you to know…I'm so glad I met you and I so don't regret this." She then grabbed the lapels of his black leather coat and pulled him to her, her lips crashing against his and he dove into the kiss like a drowning man, moaning into her mouth. Rose felt him not just yield against her but take control, pulling her body even harder against his well muscled body, feeling the evidence of his desire firmly rubbing her in a delicious place as her leg hitched around his and his hand slid down across her arse to hold her in place.

To say he was a skilled kisser would be an understatement. Rose had never been kissed like this. There was no fumbling and he was not tentative. His tongue glided into her mouth to tangle with her own as if that's where it was meant to be. His lips were firm and wanting against hers as he sucked her bottom lip and gently nipped her. Rose felt like her blood was singing to him and she whimpered, grinding her hips against his. She wanted this badly, even in a supply close with some maniac outside hunting them. She trailed her hand down and cupped him through the rough denim of his jeans.

The Doctor was not accustomed to allow his feelings free rein like this but she was just so tempting. She was everything in the universe he wished he could have, light, loving, compassionate and a part of the universe that most sentient beings never could be. He wanted to taste, feel, breath her in and ride her until the pain and darkness of his life was left behind. He sought out her mind and groaned when he felt her telepathically embrace him. He had been so lonely without another mind capable of this type of contact. It took everything he had to hold back so he didn't overwhelm her mind. When he felt her lower his zipper and her soft warm hand slip into his trousers and caress his hard length he almost came undone. This was wrong. He shouldn't be allowing this to happen. He pulled away.

"Rose, no," he said in passion roughened voice.

Rose looked up at him, her hand still caressing him, her fingers trailing up and down his length, her nails grazed him slightly. He bit his lip and shut his eyes tightly. "I know you think 'm too young and can't handle you but you're wrong," she said in a husky voice, her eyes hooded with passion. "I want this with you right here and now. You think I'm innocent or I don't understand who you are or what's happening here but I do. I am more connected to you in this short time than anyone I've ever met. This," she said and caressed him intimately, causing him to gasp, "is real. What I feel and our connection is real. If the world out there goes to hell, at least you and me have this. So shut up and shag me already," she ordered.

He stared at her hard before a sexy smirk emerged on his face. "Your wish is my command," he growled. Part of him was still shouting at him that this was all wrong and he was the older wiser one and should push her away for her own good but another voice inside of him was far more compelling. It was the one that felt the connection to her, the end to loneliness, the warmth of her embrace and the siren song of her essence calling out to him. For this one time, he was grabbing onto a happy moment and going for it.

After the initial hesitation, it was nothing but the sound of her trousers being unzipped, his jacket and her shoes hitting the floor and the whisper of clothing shoved aside as he lifted her up and pressed her back against the shelves as she wrapped her legs around him. "Want you," she moaned as she peppered his jaw with kisses and nipped at his neck, her hands reaching around him, fingers scraping his back and through his short cropped hair. He nipped at her earlobe and down her neck, sucking one particular spot to mark her as his as one of his hands drifted own and plunged into her wet warmth. She was tight and slick and whimpered as his fingers grazed her clit and delved deeper into her. Soon he was shoving her hard against the shelf, his erection poised at her entrance. He looked into her eyes. "Let me in," he asked in a deep voice.

Rose was on the edge, practically burning from the inside out. She gazed into his eyes and saw more than the hardened and tough TPA agent. There was so much more to him. "Only if you let me in too," she gasped. He kissed her deeply, pulled back and nodded. They gazed at each other as their walls fell and each was revealed to the other. It was like being caught up in a swirling vortex all around them and they were the calm center of the storm. He plunged physically and mentally into her. Rose gasped as every sense in her body was tingling. She'd never experienced this before.

She pulled him into her in every way. Grasping him until her nails dug into his flesh much to his own pleasure. Her heels dug into his magnificent arse and she rocked her hips to match each time he sank into her body. He filled her in ways she could barely comprehend. Physically, each thrust stretched her as he slid in deeper. He angled her body so he just barely grazed her clit and rested his forehead against hers. His alieness was even more revealed as the heat between them built and each slap of his slick flesh against hers pulled time toward them, coiling it through the two of them. Rose tightened her grip and encouraged him to move harder and faster until he was slamming her against the shelves knocking things off so they crashed onto the floor around them. Neither of them cared about the noise or about being found. They were focused on each other and each slide of him inside of her and the building orgasm. Just as he felt her tighten around him he screamed her name telepathically and let loose in a way he never had, riding out the waves of heat and pleasure, both mental and physical as he emptied himself into her.

They both were trembling when they collapsed back against the shelving, panting and clinging to one another. Rose was the first to look up at him. She cupped his face with one of her hands as her legs slid down off his hips. He grinned at her. She giggled. "You think you're so impressive!"

"I am so impressive," he said smirking.

Rose looked up at him and caressed his face. "Maybe a little impressive," she agreed.

His eyes sparkled at her. "Maybe we were impressive."

"Yeah," she agreed, her voice a little hoarse. "We were and are. Doctor, I've never…"

"Don't," he cut her off. "We can talk about this later. We need to get out of here and stop Davros and his cult first. We're running out of time."

Rose nodded and as she pulled on her clothes she decided to tell him what she'd seen. "Doctor, I think you should know that you and me…"

"I said later, Rose," he reminded her gently as he pulled on his jumper. He couldn't focus on what was between them now. He'd already crossed a line he shouldn't have with her and if he didn't shove his feelings aside, it could kill not only them but hundreds or more others. There was something deep inside of him, a part of him that was darkly possessive and ready to tear its way out to keep her safe. With Rose, he had experienced something warm and wonderful and for a few moments, he was content and didn't have to hide who he was and then there was the power. Oh, it was seductive the way time curled around and through them giving both of them a heady erotic experience far beyond the sexual ecstasy humans felt. He craved to feel that again but right now he had to focus and to do that, he needed Rose clothed and not tempting him.


	7. Chapter 7

Rose watched him pull back into himself almost like he was packing a suit case, rolling up his socks and folding his trousers to fit everything in neat and tidy to be locked up tight and put away. She knew this was a survival tactic but her instincts were telling her this was not what they should be doing. He needed to understand that what just happened was not a one off and she had never felt anything like it. Not the sex, but the telepathic and temporal orgasm was not something she even knew she was capable of much less experienced. Then, there was this new feeling she had. It was like a switch had been turned on and something was awakened within her just waiting for the right time to emerge.

"Doctor, I know you don't want to talk but, this is about post coital cuddling and talkin' 'bout our feelings here. Something's changed and I think it's important," Rose told him as she zipped up her jeans and pulled on her t-shirt and jacket. "We need to get out of here and find the others. Whatever this thing is that's happened between us, it's sort of made me…" Rose struggled for the words.

The Doctor was not happy to hear this. If it were another time maybe he would but right now, her focusing on some unknown change was not good. Davros could use this against them. Rose was right about one thing. They needed to regroup with the others. He couldn't do what needed to be done or be who he needed to be with Rose next to him. He needed to keep her safe and whatever else was between them would sort itself out later. His mind made up, he turned to the door.

"We're leaving," he stated without looking at her.

Rose saw how completely his armor was back in place. "Yeah, we are but not the way you think," she muttered, staring at his back as he stood before the door.

He didn't turn to look at her just soniced the door open and peeked outside. When he finally turned to her, he inhaled sharply. She'd tied her hair back and stood with her arms crossed staring at him unhappily. But, what had surprised him was her eyes and the way the light filtering in from the hallway highlighted golden flecks that weren't there before. Rose stormed up to him grabbed his hand and yanked him into the hall and toward the stairs.

"I know you think I'm just girl and not capable of helping you with this," she said as they walked down the hall.

"Rose, I..." he started to say before she interrupted him.

"I'm not useless and won't stand by while you or my Dad go to war with some psycho and his evil army."

"I didn't say…"

"You didn't have to. You think this is all about sex in a closet but it's not. It's more than that."

By this point they'd reached the stairs, and the Doctor tugged her to a stop and tried to loom over her with his best glare set to intimidate. Unfortunately, it didn't work and Rose stared back at him, with a challenging glint in her eyes. "Don't try and pull that alien stuff on me," she said sharply.

He took a step closer to her, fury sparking in his blue eyes. "But I am, ya know. I'm not as human as you might think and I'm not gonna stand by while some little pink and yellow girl lectures me!" he said, breathing heavy and working himself up into an angry fit which as he stared at her being all rebellious and challenging was quickly turning into something other than anger.

"I'm not afraid of you or your alieness. I've never understood people gettin' all scared of Halfs. It's foolish. We're all just people and you need to stop treatin' me like I'm helpless. You know I'm not. You saw into me."

He had seen into her and that was the problem. He saw quite clearly that she could defend herself which was why he was trying to tuck her away some place where she didn't have to. It was his job to be the killer and protector of this planet. That job had never had as much meaning as it did now, since he'd met her. She was why he would go to that dark place inside of himself, that place that allowed him to kill and destroy without hesitation. He had to keep her from becoming like him. His Rose, and he knew she was his now, didn't need to be scarred like him. He wanted to save her from the darkness that could so easily claim her, darkness like Davros. He yanked her to him and kissed her hard but she was ready and kissed him back just as passionately.

He shoved her away and stalked forward pushing her into the cold concrete wall in the stairwell knowing he needed to push her away no matter the cost. "I am an alien!" he spit out. "And I am the protector of this world. Been taking care of it since before you were born. Don't think one good shag gives you the right to lecture me. What do you even know about me? We only met a few hours ago and look at you ready to give it up in closet. I'm far older than I look and capable of things you couldn't imagine. Don't think you know me!"

Rose shoved him back hard and it was like shoving a fortified wall. He barely moved but that wasn't going to stop her. "You think I would just, as you put it, give it up for anyone? You think you can manipulate me…ME! No one does that and you know why? Because they can't and it's been tried by stronger telepaths than you. You're not the first Half or even alien that's tried. I let you in because I see who you are. Oh, you're alien all right. Two hearts, yeah? I could feel them. Slightly different biology too; and you're senses are enhanced along with a few well-endowed psychic talents. I know and I don't care! Maybe I don't know everything about you, but I know enough to see you're a good man, a good person and the one that I…."

"That you what?" he demanded, wanting nothing more at this point than to shag her against the wall and run from this place, his obligations and time itself if he had to. She did things to him, made him feel things that he never thought he would. He wanted this and damn his obligations and bloody Davros for getting in the way of what he could have with her.

All the anger ebbed away and Rose placed her hands on his chest. She gazed at him with such softness that he thought he would melt.

"I've never felt like this for anyone, so…connected and comfortable. I'm not afraid to be who I am with you. I don't have to hide. I've never loved like this before."

"Rose," he said with a hoarse voice. "We can't, not now."

"If not now, then when?" she asked.

He laid a gentle kiss on her lips. "Let's stop Davros and save everyone in the building first."

Rose looked into his eyes and knew this wasn't over but he was right. They had people to save. She knew he still wanted to keep her safe and away from this fight but she knew that wouldn't work. She's seen the possibilities and knew what she would do to assure the best outcome for all, even if that meant sacrificing some of her own happiness. It would be worth it.

Rose finally nodded and they raced back up the stairs. When they emerged, the scene that greeted them was grim. Her father, Mr. Copper, Jake, DCS Lethbridge Stewart along with his CID team and the Doctor's TPA team were all armed and looked ready to take on an army.

"Rose!" her father called out and pushed people out of the way to embrace her. "Thank God!" he whispered into her hair and he hugged her.

"I'm fine, Dad. The Doctor and me had a little run in with a Dalek and them cult terrorists but we got away."

"Dalek!" Alistair exclaimed and tensed, his body taking on more of a military stiffness and his cane landing with a loud thump on the floor as he looked over at the Doctor. "Is it true?" he asked stiffly.

"Yes," the Doctor answered tersely. "We found them one floor down. They were using perception filter technology until they saw…us," he answered, leaving out the part about their interest in Rose specifically. He then shot a knowing look at Pete who looked older suddenly, understanding the gravity of the situation and the danger everyone was now in. It struck him to the core knowing his daughter was at the center of this.

"It killed your DI, Alistair," the Doctor announced in a hardened tone

Alistair nodded once, not revealing any emotion. He had been a member in Earth Alliance Special Forces one upon a time. He knew death, loss and what one had to do to survive. He turned to his people and began giving them their orders. There was fear in their eyes. None had seen a Dalek but they all knew the reputation of the killing machines.

Daleks were legendary as indestructible and ruthless. A Dalek did not feel pain, remorse, pity or compassion. Its sole purpose was to kill and destroy anything that did not fit its parameters of an acceptable life form, that is, acceptable to its creator, Davros. Davros had a twisted vision of the universe. Like so many other megalomaniacs before him, he had designed his own plan of perfection which did not include anything he perceived as weakness. This included almost all of the human race which he despised. He was a Half and had suffered at the hands of prejudicial humans on their own racial purity rampage. It had left him a cripple and filled with a seething hatred. He survived his injuries and spent years festering in his own hatred, plotting revenge. A crippled body did not diminish his brilliant but twisted mind and he created his own army by genetically altering his mother's people, the Kaled. He released a wave of nanogenes whose sole purpose was to infect and mutate the entire species. It was monstrous and the beginning of his rampage across the cosmos, annihilating entire races and destroying worlds. His Daleks were what he considered the pinnacle of his genius, part Kaled, part machine and ruthless to the core.

Other races pulled together and hunted down Davros and his followers, the Cult of Skaro, and showed him the same mercy he showed every other species. It was thought they were eradicated during a vicious battle. Now, here in this building and to the horror of those imprisoned within, they found that to be a lie. It struck fear deep in everyone, even the Doctor, for he had personal knowledge of how hard it was to destroy a Dalek. The TPA was aware of this as well. The Doctor knew what had to be done and what the cost would be.

Jack, Ianto and Mickey Smith, the Doctor's technology specialist stepped forward.

"What's the plan, Boss?" Mickey asked. Mickey was a Half the Doctor had found living on the streets. His parents had abandoned him and he had moved in with his grandmother. When he lost her, he'd done anything he could to survive, including becoming an infamous and quite illegal hacker. He was brilliant. His father had been a Half from Logopolis that hadn't quite fit in there. He didn't really fit on Earth either although his affinity with technology served him well. He'd passed that onto his son. Mickey was mostly human, although to the purists on Earth, it didn't matter. Whether you were half alien or a quarter alien, you were still just a Half to them and that was Mickey's burden to bear no matter how brilliant he was or could be. Of course, his skills were no match for the Doctor but the Doctor knew talent and potential when he saw it. It was a choice, go to prison or work for the Doctor. Mickey had postured, mouthed off and was generally obnoxious but knew his future lay with the Doctor.

The Doctor looked at his team and then across the room at Dr. Martha Jones, another half who had a much easier time of it. Her skills were that of a healer. She was also more human than alien with a supportive family that wanted to protect her, not unlike Pete Tyler with his daughter. The Doctor knew that what he was contemplating would change Martha's life forever, yank her security away and thrust her into a much harder life. It ripped him up a bit inside to cause her that kind of pain but it was that or a much worse fate. He looked back at Mickey. He knew they had been secretly dating despite the TPA no fraternization rule. At least they would have each other.

"Doctor?" Jack asked. Jack had an inkling what needed to happen next and it wasn't good.


	8. Chapter 8

Before the Doctor could answer Jack, the lights went out and voice came over a speaker system. It was raspy and guttural. "You will send the girl, the powerful one, to me now or face immediate extermination."

"No," the Doctor's voice boomed as he looked around the room, finally spotting a surveillance camera as Pete flinched and gripped Rose. Alistair turned a speculative gaze at the Doctor as he recognized the voice and watched the Doctor's reaction.

"Your voice is different. And yet, its arrogance is unchanged, Doctor," the male voice croaked out. "It would seem fitting that you are here to bear witness to the resurrection of my empire and the ultimate destruction of these inferior humans by Davros, Lord and creator of the supreme Cult of Skaro and the Dalek race!"

"Not full of 'imself or anything is he?" Rose muttered.

The Doctor shot her a warning glance and then looked at Jack pointedly. Jack nodded and walked over to stand protectively next to Rose.

"You were destroyed, Davros. I saw it. I was there at the Gate of Elysium. I saw your command ship fly into the jaws of the Nightmare Child."

Davros chuckled in a way that made humans shiver. "You think you can destroy me? I think not, Doctor. The Cult of Skaro and the Daleks are superior. We hid, waiting in the dark places, regrowing our numbers. When the wolf's howl stretched out across the galaxy, we knew the time had come for our resurrection and victory. Oh, the humans think they are so clever and yet the epitome of their own prejudice will be their downfall. They fear change and the advancement of their own species and now it will be used to destroy them."

"How?" Alistair demanded although he had a suspicion by watching the Doctor and noticing the change in Rose Tyler. He had not missed the way the Doctor had focused on her or the way she looked at him. Then, there was Pete and how protective he was being. This went far beyond protecting an innocent child. This was a man protecting a secret. Alistair was an old soldier at heart and he knew this was not going to end well for any of them. Sacrifices would be made. He had made plenty of those in the battle field and this was most assuredly another kind of battle right here in the middle of London.

Davros chuckled again. "But you already know that. You've seen the evidence of her power even if your feeble human minds can barely comprehend what is before you."

The Doctor stormed toward the surveillance camera. "Davros, you know I won't let that happen. If you surrender now, maybe you'll survive this. You know what the TPA will do," he shouted angrily.

"But you won't let that happen, Doctor. You can't stand by and watch the humans in this building die. If you want them to live, you will give her to me."

Mickey had pulled up his laptop and nodded at Ianto who pulled one of Jake's people aside to pull up a schematic of the building. The Doctor glanced briefly at them and could see they were tracking Davros signal. Their faces looked grave when they looked back at him.

"Look, Davros…" the Doctor started to say before two of Alistair's group broke rank and raced out of the office with pulse rifles at the ready. They opened the doors and screamed as they began firing at what the Doctor knew was a Dalek. They were both killed before they knew what had happened. Jake and his forces ran behind them and slammed the doors shut and sealed them with laser fire. It wouldn't keep out a Dalek but it would slow it down.

"You see, Doctor. They are weak, powerless and soon to be extinct. Give me the girl and I may allow them a few more days of existence before I annihilate their species."

The Doctor looked at Rose who looked back at him with no fear in her eyes and a rebellious tilt to her chain. "Then we're done here." He looked back at the camera. "Can't say it was nice knowing you, Davros. Have a good death." He lifted his sonic in the air and activated it, blowing up the surveillance system.

"They have secured the floor beneath us and appear to be heavily armed, Doctor," Ianto informed him as calmly as if he were asking what he'd like in his coffee. "I don't sense any hostages."

"But I have people down there," Pete insisted. "We locked them into their offices."

"Yeah, there all dead," the Doctor brutally informed him. There were gasps and some weeping from the Vitex staff.

Pete looked ill but quickly regrouped. "There must be something we can do to stop him before the TPA neutralizes the building"

Alistair stepped forward and stared at the Doctor. "But there is something we can do, isn't there Doctor. We have what he wants and what he thinks is a powerful weapon. And she is powerful, isn't she? She destroyed Davros' soldiers sent to retrieve her."

"Rose is not a weapon!" Pete insisted and glared at the DCS.

Alistair looked hard at him. "I'm disappointed in you Pete. You know the consequences for keeping an unregistered Half and especially a dangerous one. You've brought this on yourself and her. I can't stand by and allow your actions to harm any more people."

"She's not a Half, Alistair!" Pete insisted. "And she's innocent, a victim in all of this. She is not a weapon," he said vehemently.

"Pete's tellin' the truth," the Doctor said. "She's not a half. I could tell if she was and so could my team."

Jack stepped forward. "Brigadier," he said, acknowledging Alistair's old military rank. "The Doctor's right. She's no Half. We looked into the Tyler family and her, not to mention, I know what a Half feels like and she's not one. She's something else."

"Alistair, she's an anomaly, the result of her mother bein' exposed to something while she was pregnant." The Doctor looked over at Rose. "She's more human than most humans I know." He looked back at Alistair. "And she didn't know she'd hurt them. Doesn't even know what she's capable of," the Doctor said with brute honesty

"If she's so innocent then how did Davros know of her existence and what she could do?" Alistair demanded.

"Because he's a genius. A complete nutter but a genius. You heard him. He's been hiding and watching. Probably been scanning for any anomalies like say…a girl who's simply oozing artron energy and a family that's worried and trying to tuck her away, keep her out of the spotlight, hiding something."

"Rose is not dangerous," Pete repeated.

"Rose is right here and would like everyone to stop treatin' her like she's invisible and doesn't' have a mind of her own," Rose finally said and stepped in between the men all of whom looked at her almost startled. She looked Alistair in the eyes. "You're right. I'm not innocent," she began.

"Rose, don't…" Pete started to interrupt.

"No, Dad. Let me finish," she said looking at him. "Please." Pete looked pained but nodded his head. She smiled shyly at him and then turned back to Alistair with a more serious look. "I'm not innocent because I think the Doctor's right, I did stop that attack but I don't know how I did it exactly. It's not like I wished anyone dead. I just wanted everyone safe. I don't want to cause harm to anyone, not humans or Halfs." She paused and looked at the Doctor. "I want to help stop this." The Doctor looked both proud and worried.

She turned back to Alistair. "But I'm no one's weapon. I belong to me, Rose Tyler and I'll decide for myself and right now, I want to help stop this but not at the cost of more lives. You understand Detective Chief Superintendent?"

Alistair looked at her as if making an assessment. He nodded once. "All right Miss Tyler, perhaps you aren't a threat or you're less of a threat than that maniac out there. The question is, are you prepared to do what's necessary to save lives, even at the cost of your own?"

"Alistair," the Doctor said in warning. He respected Alistair but he was threatening Rose and that he would not allow.

"It's all right, Doctor," Rose said calmly. "I understand and yes, Detective Chief Superintendent, I would."

Alistair nodded again. He liked to think he was a good judge of character and right now, he had assessed her as trustworthy and honest. He believed her. "Good. Let's hope it doesn't come to that. Now then, how are we going to kill this bastard and get out of this?" he asked and looked at the Doctor who seemed to have calmed down from his previous over-protectiveness of Rose.

"A frontal assault won't work even if we had the weapons necessary to pierce the Dalek's shell."

"Agreed," Jack said. "We could use Jake's EMP grenade and maybe rig up some of the tech in the office to create some sort of…" Jack explained.

"No," the Doctor cut him off. "It won't work. A Dalek is impervious to EMP and practically impossible to cause a critical overload of the biomatrix systems. That's why it's so dangerous. It doesn't care about life and it's indestructible. It took us destroying an entire quadrant using a quantum singularity to rip them apart in time to destroy them."

"I'm afraid the Doctor is quite right," Alistair acknowledged. "I was there when the decision was made, a last desperate move to save all of us."

"You destroyed the entire Talaylian quadrant. You didn't even evacuate the people first," Jake accused.

Alistair looked at him sadly. "It was war. We did what we had to do."

The Doctor stared blankly ahead remembering the decision. It wasn't his to make but he was the implement of that destruction. He was the one that made it happen. It haunted him and he would spend the rest of his life attempting to make up for the billions who had died that day. He felt a hand on his arm and looked down to see Rose, tears in her eyes gazing up at him. That's when he realized, she saw what happened, what he was thinking. How had he let her see that? He tried to pull away but she wouldn't let him. She never spoke but he could fell her presence in the back of his mind, a warm golden light illuminating the dark place he retreated to inside of himself except she was there now. It astonished and frightened him. He quickly slammed barriers in place to push her out and she gasped.

"Don't," he said harshly and turned away from her and herded Jack, Ianto and Mickey into a corner leaving Rose behind and while Pete argued quietly with Alistair. "There's only one way out of this," the Doctor informed them.

"Other than we all die in TPA authorized implosion or sanctioned molecular disintegrator that rips us apart at the atomic level, whichever they decide is the most effective?" Ianto calmly asked.

Jack looked over at Ianto and put an arm on his shoulder. "The Doctor isn't going to let that happen and neither are any of us," he said firmly.

"What's the plan?" Mickey asked.

The Doctor looked gravely at them. "There's always been a way out for us, a way out of this building and off the planet. A way the TPA doesn't know about."

Jack looked at him curiously. "What do you mean a way out for us?"

"I mean for us. As in, a way away from Earth but there's a cost. Didn't think I'd ever be ready to pay it or offer it up but there's no other way," he said seriously.

Ianto was the first to speak. "Us being Halfs. Not humans. You mean for us to leave and leave everything behind, our families and friends."

Mickey shifted and looked at the floor in contemplation and then back up at the Doctor. "Some of us have family. You sayin' it's all of us that have to go, no choice in it."

The Doctor knew Mickey was thinking of Martha and her family but there was nothing he could do about that. "Davros and his people, his creations are Halfs. Kill the Halfs in the building and the humans live. We stay and die or leave and live a life somewhere else. There's no other choice."

"Why?" Mickey asked, not willing to let the Doctor get off that easy. "Why leave and not come back?"

"Because if you come back, then they'll know what I've been keeping secret, a place where we can live without some government bureaucrat gettin' in our face and threatening our families."

Jack picked up on this. He, more than anyone, had suffered from intimidation and retribution from certain controlling government agencies. They'd threatened him into joining the TPA. He'd ignored them and come home to find his lover gone and a committee from the TPA waiting on him. They explained to him how uncomfortable life could be if he didn't cooperate. That meeting concluded with him being locked in a cold dark cell for a month and with written accusations by his lover alleging he used his abilities to compel the man into a relationship with him and alleging he was dangerous to the citizens of Earth. The penalty for such violations of his registration was life imprisonment or worse.

Jack also knew that the TPA kept a close eye on all of its agents and that even those mostly human, like Martha, were no exceptions. Martha's own sisters were closely monitored and their well-being depended on Martha's cooperation. Mickey knew this too but was convinced he could protect her. Jack had tried to tell Mickey not to be so optimistically foolish but the young man refused to listen. Now, his choice and Martha's choice in the matter was about to be removed.

"Using a weapon against Halfs is our only option. It wouldn't be the first time would it? We all know the TPA would put a human life before Half. So the humans will be safe but we die," Jack stated, looking at the Doctor for confirmation.

"Unless we are elsewhere when this weapon is deployed," Ianto finished for him. Ianto was a realist. He had family here, family that had no idea about his life. He had kept it a secret. His family were immigrants from one of the colony worlds. His grandfather had met and married an alien telepath. They never returned to Earth but Ianto's mother who had married a human, insisted on it. She wanted her children raised with Earth values and did everything she could to make her kids more human and reject their alien heritage. She hated that part of herself and never hesitated to let her children know that. He had spent his life suppressing his abilities no matter how much it hurt and it did hurt. Talking about it was forbidden. He ran away from home as soon as he could, took any job that would hire him given his lack of education and Half status. He ended up working as an assistant in a London office.

He met and fell in love with one of the secretaries, Lisa Hallet. She was killed in a terrorist incident. Ianto, who was quiet, considerate and not the least bit violent, felt her pain when she died and it caused him to rage at the attackers. It was Jack who had stopped him. If Jack hadn't been there, Ianto wasn't sure he would have compelled Lisa's murders to turn the weapons on themselves. The Doctor hired him on the spot, said his life needed purpose and he needed to channel his anger into something useful. He had been a TPA agent ever since. He loved his family but life had taught him that sometimes, change was necessary and a good thing. He trusted the Doctor and Jack more than the TPA. If they said he needed to move on then so be it.

"Yes," the Doctor answered. "The TPA doesn't know that though. They don't know that I have means to get us away and if they ever found out…"

"They'd take it to keep control of us. That's the thing about Half registration. It's all about control. They don't like us unless we're useful to them. Use us and throw us away like we're nothin!" Mickey spit out.

"In or out. I need to know. Go ask the other Halfs away from everyone else. Alistair's on his way over."

"You don't trust him?" Jack asked.

"Plausible deniability," the Doctor answered and turned to greet Alistair.

Jack, Ianto and Mickey walked away, appearing to be gathering equipment together for the Doctor while they discretely made rounds around the room to talk to the other Halfs. Telling someone they either disappear or die was not an easy thing, and keeping it quiet was even harder, but they weren't on the Doctor's team for no reason. They were good at their jobs even if that job was to tell someone there life was about to change whether they liked it or not. After all, they were all Halfs and being a Half meant life was not fair. It was adapt to survive or rebel and perish.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tinkered with dialog from PotW and modified to fit in this story so it is slightly different. Thanks for reading!

As the Doctor was making plans and talking to Alistair, Rose leaned against a wall watching everyone and keeping to herself. She hadn't missed how everyone in the room was staring at her and whispering. People had always gossiped about her but this was different. They looked at her in fear now, as if she was responsible for all this. She worried that in a way she was. Would Davros and his cult, his Dalek be here if it wasn't for her? Even if they defeated Davros and made it out of here alive, what would her life be like? What would happen to her family now that people knew she was different? She already knew the answers to those questions and it scared her but not for herself. Her family was ruined and that she couldn't bear it. The TPA could take her and experiment on her but she wanted her family safe, her little brother safe. Tony was only six and innocent. He hadn't done anything wrong. It firmed her resolve that she would do whatever she had to so that her family wouldn't suffer because of her.

She walked over to father. "Dad."

"It's not your fault," he said softly.

She smiled sadly at him. "And yet it is 'cos people are dead and hurt because this Davros came here for me. And now everyone knows I'm different. They blame me. I can see it and so can you and you heard the DCS. They're gonna blame you and me, our family. If there's something I can do to make this right, to keep you safe…"

"Stop it," he ordered her firmly. "I'm your father. It's my job to keep you safe and I've done everything I could to do that and I still will. We will make it through this. Tylers are survivors."

Rose smiled at him. "Yeah, we are," she acknowledged and hugged him, knowing that she would do whatever she had to save her family, no matter the cost.

It wasn't long before Davros had grown impatient. The doors were smoking. The Dalek was burning through it and it wouldn't be long before it was inside.

"Everyone into Pete's office!" the Doctor shouted and the group of terrorized and crying employees raced back into Pete's private office, everyone, except the Halfs and Rose. The Doctor grabbed her arm and pulled her to his side. Rose looked up at him and knew he had something planned, something dangerous.

Pete walked up to them. "Rose, get into my office and shut the doors."

"No, I'm stayin' with the Doctor," she said, still gazing into the Doctor's eyes.

"She's right, Pete. I need her here," the Doctor informed him, knowing that he needed to get Rose away from here. She couldn't stay now that people knew she was different.

"My daughter is not soldier," Pete insisted and then looked at Rose.

"Dad, I have to do this and you have to go in there and keep those people calm and safe. I need you to do that. Please go. It's the only way to keep Mum and Tony safe."

"I'll find another way!" he insisted.

"I'll watch over her Pete," the Doctor finally spoke.

"Can you?" Pete asked, a hard look in his eyes.

"You think there's a choice, Pete? Even if she survives, what do you think her life will be? What do you think will happen to your family if she doesn't do as she's told, be it Davros or someone else who has a hankering for her power?"

"You're asking me to…" Pete said unable to finish the sentence. He'd spent his life protecting Rose and now he was supposed to just let her go, sacrifice her for his people, his family. He couldn't accept that.

"I'm telling you to make the right choice for Rose and your family. You're a good man, Pete Tyler. You've done right by your family. Don't stop now."

Pete turned to Rose, tears in his eyes and pulled her into his arms. "You're a Tyler, never forget that and never forget how much your mum and I love you."

Rose felt tears coursing down her cheeks. "I love you too! Tell mum, tell her I'm sorry and I…"

"I'll tell her. Just keep yourself safe and if you can, let us know you're all right."

Rose nodded and the Doctor gently pulled her away. Pete turned and barked orders for the doors to be sealed leaving, Rose, the Doctor and most of the Halfs outside.

Alistair stared at him from the doorway and walked up slowly, leaning on his cane as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. "You're separating us, Halfs and Humans."

"Yes," the Doctor answered.

"You think the Halfs have a better chance against Davros or is there something else, old friend?"

"Do you want the humans to watch the Halfs die?" the Doctor asked.

Alistair's eyes widened in understanding. He had heard of a weapon that only effected non-humans or those with non-human genes such as the Osterhagen device. It wasn't widely publicized and was considered politically incorrect and something that would incite riots or worse. He was sure if anyone could cobble a device like, it was the Doctor.

He looked at Rose. "You said Ms. Tyler wasn't a Half."

Rose gripped the Doctors hand and he looked at her.

"She's not, but if I have to do this, I don't know how it will affect her. I'm hoping I won't have to, but you and I know the TPA won't lift the quarantine until it knows there's no chance of Davros escape."

"I want to be with the Doctor," Rose said softly. "I want to help stop this. I have to try and if I can't help then the Doctor will do what he has to and I'll be by his side." She paused "Please don't let them blame my father. He meant no harm," she asked Alistair.

"I'll do my best, Ms. Tyler and for what it's worth. I'm very sorry it's come to this." With that, Alistair saluted the Doctor and retreated to Pete's office the doors clicking shut behind him with a chilling finality.

Jake made his way over to the Doctor. "We couldn't reach the Halfs in R&D. I don't even know if they're in the building or even alive," Jake said, the first crack in his resolve showing. "We'll be killing them."

The Doctor began pacing, obviously angry. He paused and whipped around and glared at everyone in the room. "Do you think I don't know that? Because this is my life. It's not fun, it's not smart, it's just standing up and making a decision because I have to. We all have choices to make. Any of us could die at any moment."

He looked at Rose and calm fell across him. He would do this for her, for the girl that reminded him not everything is death and destruction and because people could be good and care. Rose cared for the people around her and she didn't see Halfs and humans. She just saw people.

Jack, Mickey and Ianto were huddled around some equipment. "It's ready," Jack said, looking grim.

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"It's a Delta Wave. It'll destroy any living non humans in the building, including Halfs. The humans won't be effected." Jack looked at the machine for it what it was, a death sentence.

Rose looked horrified that such a thing could exist. The Doctor walked over and examined it seemingly not bothered by the lethal purpose of the device just as one of the doors buckled and a hole appeared. Jake and his team pulled out their weapons and fired through the gap. The room was filled with smoke and the acrid scent of burnt metal and wood mixed with laser fire as the Dalek's voice screamed "Exterminate! Exterminate!"

Ianto calmly gathered everyone together on one side of the room while Jake and his team kept Davros' forces busy. The Doctor pulled a palm sized round metallic device out of his pocket and set it on the floor. "This'll bypass TPA quarantine protocol. You'll be transmatted to a safe place, a planet in the Kasterbouros system that no one knows about. You'll find everything you need there."

Everyone stared at him. "Go on then, in groups of five. Hurry or do you wanna die here?"

Ianto went with the first group to help organize them. Martha walked up to the Doctor, tears in her eyes and slapped him. He didn't flinch. She had every right to be angry. Mickey pulled her away promising it would be okay and her family would be fine. She pulled herself together and stood proudly while they transported away. Soon, it was just Jack, Jake, Rose and the Doctor left.

The Dalek's eyestalk was emerging through the now battered doorway. Jake was standing near the transport device. The Doctor turned to Jack and sent him a telepathic message. "Take care of her."

Jack felt tears prick his eyes. "Don't do this. Set a delayed activation. Come with us. We need you."

The Doctor showed none of the emotions roiling through him as he telepathically responded. "No time. Has to be manual and I'm doing it. Just get her out of here and protect her. She's the future, Jack."

Jack knew the Doctor was ready to die for this, for them and more especially for the girl who had broken through to the tired broken Half inside of him. He would do as the Doctor asked but he wouldn't like it. He turned the Doctor to him and kissed him on the lips, expressing his thanks for the Doctor saving him in more ways than one and then backed away.

Rose walked up to him. "Doctor, they're comin! Set it off and let's get out of here!"

He turned to her and smiled with a look of peace in his eyes. She had given that to him even if she didn't realize it. "Rose Tyler, thank you." He leaned down and kissed her deeply, pushing past her mental barriers which opened up to embrace him and delved deep into her mind, whispering "Have a fantastic life." It was the last thing she heard as darkness closed in on her. Jack caught her and carried her to the transport. He and Jake nodded at the Doctor and disappeared leaving the Doctor to face Davros and his followers alone.

The darkness that enveloped Rose didn't last long. When the Doctor made the choice to sacrifice himself and save Rose, taking her choice away, he triggered something he couldn't have imagined. That which slept in Rose Tyler was awakened by time lines in flux. A warmth filled her and her mind awakened in a flash of golden light to find herself on a new world with Jack standing not far from her staring at an orange sky with two suns whose rays reflected off the silver leafed trees. Rose felt strong, assured and knew what she needed to do. No one made her choices for her, not even the Doctor whom she loved.

When Jack looked at her, he took a step back. This wasn't the innocent unconscious girl he had transmatted to this world. This was an angry powerful being that was staring at him with golden fire in her eyes that made him shiver. Rose Tyler, or whatever she was now, was not happy. "Take me back!" she commanded in an almost otherworldly voice, her skin radiating with some inner power.

"I can't. Rose, he wanted you safe. There's nothing you can do now. Please don't do this," Jack said, trying not to flinch at the power crawling across his skin and through his body. He had never experienced anything like this from any Half, or alien, for that matter. That's when he understood what Davros wanted from her.

Rose looked down at the ground and the red grass swayed and the winds picked up swirling around her. She looked at Jack. "I can see all of time and space, the beginning and ending, all that was is or ever could be and I cannot allow this to happen." At first it was like a few fireflies fluttering around, converging around her. Then, swarms of them began swirling about her until Jack had to step back and shield his face from the searing light. Time, he thought. This is what time in flux felt like. The Doctor had described it to him once and now he understood, felt it pulling at him, deep inside of him and understood how much each living thing was a part of it. They were all part of time and she was the epicenter, the convergence, the heart of it. He felt arms pulling him back away and pressure built until he thought it would crush him and then a howling sounded that shook through him until he thought he was dying and then, it stopped. He, Jake and Mickey were on the ground. Rose was gone.

"What the Hell was that?" Jake demanded, rubbing his arms and looking shaken up. He'd been through enough today to make anyone question their own sanity but suddenly seeing Rose Tyler explode in golden light was all he could take.

"I don't know but, I can guess…one pissed off she wolf about to go lay waste to anyone who threatens her Doctor." The group looked at each other and back at the spot Rose had been and worried.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

Once Rose was gone, the Doctor felt an icy pit of loss deep inside of him. It was like ripping a part of him away but he knew it was for the best. He didn't know what the Delta wave would do to Rose. There was also the TPA and other Earth agencies that would scramble to take her into custody and try and access her power. The Tyler family would pay a heavy price but with Rose gone, perhaps it wouldn't be such a heavy toll. Pete Tyler was strong and a survivor. If anyone could make it through this and protect his family, it was him.

There wasn't much time now. The TPA would destroy every living thing in the building in a matter of minutes if he didn't do this. He looked up when the door exploded inward and debris rained down around him. When the dust and smoke cleared, he saw the Dalek sitting across from him, it's blue eyestalk focused on him as more of Davros troupes filled the room, weapons aimed at him and Davros himself floated into the room, the bottom half of his body encased in hard metal shell like that of the Dalek. He was pale, deformed with metal devices implanted in his head, his eyes covered in tough wrinkled skin and a blue glowing sensor was embedded in the center of his forehead.

"Davros," the Doctor spit out, rage now pushing away his feelings of loss. Davros was the reason he had to send Rose away.

"Doctor," Davros acknowledged in his guttural metallic voice. "Did you really think you could keep her from me? That you could defeat me?"

"You've lost Davros. In a few minutes no one in this building will be alive."

Davros laughed. "I know you Doctor. You are the great manipulator, deceiver, defeating your enemies with cunning and lies. You would not annihilate the innocent to achieve your goal. You are afflicted with a conscience, your greatest weakness."

The Doctor smirked and his eyes glittered dangerously. "That's where you're wrong. I've seen enough and I will make sacrifices to stop you from terrorizing the universe and even if I fail, the humans won't. Bit talented with time, me. I've seen what you will do to not just humans but all sentient beings and I'm stoppin' it now."

The Doctor hit a few switches on the equipment in front of him and a hum filled the air.

"Delta wave detected!" the Dalek screamed.

"You will die with us!" Davros raged.

"Maybe I've lived too long anyhow," the Doctor responded and sent a telepathic Goodbye, I love you to Rose hoping somehow she would hear him.

"Kill him!" Davros commanded as the Delta wave built.

Just as the Dalek fired at the Doctor, a searing golden light filled the room stopping the Dalek's laser fire in midair and deactivating the delta wave. Davros' troops turned away and fell to their knees. Even the Doctor shielded his eyes as the light enveloped him.

As the glow dimmed, he could see Rose at the center of it, her eyes shining golden, her hair tousled as some force swirled around her and her skin bearing a golden glow. She looked at him with all the wisdom and foresight of time in her eyes. "I want you safe, my Doctor," she said in an otherworldly voice. Her attention then turned to Davros.

"You cannot hurt me!" Davros shouted. "Immobilize her!" he commanded his Dalek which aimed and fired at Rose. She held up her hand and shot the energy back at the Dalek, encapsulating it in an energy field. Rose turned a condemning gaze on Davros who backed away while ordering his troops to attack.

The Doctor watched her burn with energy and knew it would consume her if she continued to channel it. "Rose No! You can't. You have to stop this, no one's meant to have that much power. It will destroy you!" the Doctor pleaded. He had to stop her, get her away so he could finish this. The TPA wouldn't delay the execution of every living thing in this building and time was running out.

Davros continued to shout "Exterminate her!"

"You are tiny and narrow minded bent on destruction of all living things until nothing remains. Life must evolve, change, grow, be born, age and die as the universe commands it. I can see the whole of time and space; every single atom of your existence and I divide them. Everything must come to dust and return to space and time to begin again as the universe decides." Rose commanded and waved her hand. Davros, the Dalek and his troupes dissolved atom by atom into nothing but fine particles littering the floor. The golden light flared in Rose and the forces around her became violent thrashing around the room, burning and bending it. The windows shattered and burst outward. She turned to the Doctor with golden tears streaming down her face.

"I can see everything. All that was, all that is and all that ever could be," she whispered.

He walked up to her, unafraid of the chaos existing around her, the destruction that she was unintentionally causing the office and the building. "That's what I see, every day, what I have to hide from the humans. Oh Rose, it's too much and…it could drive you mad."

More tears cascaded down her face as she gazed at him. "My head…it's killin' me."

He stepped up to her. "I think you need a Doctor." He pulled her into his arms and his lips met hers in a passionate kiss. He felt the power flow through the two of them. It wasn't a burning power as he assumed. It was like a lover's embrace, warm, alluring and tempting. Rose was the heart of this nexus of time which didn't surprise him. It was her nature but she needed someone to counterbalance that power. She needed him. Deep down he knew this but had tried to reject it, not accept that he could be part of something like. He felt her amusement and perhaps even a mental slap as she had tried to tell him earlier but he wouldn't listen. This bond between them could not be denied and he was done trying to. He wrapped her in his arms and let it happen, let their minds tangle and twist around one another, let time flow through them and accepted what must be. With that acceptance, came the need to guide this power but not abuse it. It was a heavy burden to be shared between them. They were the keepers of something greater than them. With that thought, he hurled them away from the destruction around them and back to the sanctuary where the other Halfs waited for them.

dwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdwdw

A temporal event such as the one that occurred at Vitex Industries was bound to not only capture the focus of the TPA, but instigate a cooperative investigation by every Earth intelligence agency along with stir interest in other non-human species as well. Rose had not only destroyed Davros and the Daleks, but she had wielded time to alter the composition of the building materials in the offices and leave a unique signature behind. When scientists and investigators would analyze the evidence, they would call it the Bad Wolf effect due to the lupine forms found in the burn marks and warping of the office wreckage. Some wondered if it was a sign or a warning.

Those holed up in Pete's office never knew what happened other than they heard a terrible howling sound, had felt the building tremble and energy seep into the room and make their skin prickle. When the TPA arrived to free them from the locked office, they were shocked at the carnage of the offices outside of the executive suite. Everything had been burned, blackened and twisted at the molecular level into some macabre design as if some force of incredible heat and magnitude had exploded.

The TPA had escorted them all to another location for further debriefing. Pete and Alistair had been the last to leave pausing in the midst of the devastation with TPA agents combing through melted and scarred wreckage. They didn't know what happened here but it was obvious no living thing could survive that blast. Alistair turned to Pete. "It's a pity such a high price was paid to destroy such evil. So many died today over a madman's deluded belief in some fantasy about your family." Alistair took a few steps and paused looking back at Pete staring out the shattered windows. "After all, who could possibly believe the ramblings of a twisted psychopath who was mixing fairy tales with realities. As if little red riding hood and the big bad wolf were real." Alistair looked at Pete knowingly before he continued out of the building the thump of his cane echoing in the burnt out area.

Pete breathed out a sigh. Perhaps things weren't as a bad as he imagined. For some reason, Alistair was on his side and he had an inkling Alistair's report would be tweaked in his favor. Pete looked around the wreckage and thought about the Doctor and Rose. Tears pricked his eyes and he squeezed them tight. Deep down, he had his suspicions that perhaps all was not as it seemed in this wreckage. A part of him, the father in him, believed his daughter was still out there and she wasn't alone. He opened his eyes and stared at the floor, seeing something swirling in the dust. It was the figure of a wolf. One of the TPA agents came up and put a hand on his arm, startling him and the wolf in the dust swirled away. They led him out to his debriefing and as he walked he had to school his face to remain grim for now he knew that was a sign from his daughter. She was alive and maybe if he was lucky, he'd see her again one day. Pete Tyler was nothing if not lucky.

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It had been several months since the Halfs arrived on their new home. At first, Rose had been ostracized, blamed for what had happened and there was an underlying fear of what she was and what she was capable of doing. The Doctor had said very little to her, focusing all his attention on organizing them, building shelters and foraging for food and supplies. He never abandoned her but was guarded and often left on trips for surveying and foraging for supplies. The only people who would talk to her were Jack and Jake but that didn't stop her from working hard to make this new planet a home. Eventually, things began to change and the other Halfs realized she was no monster, not a spoiled human and was a committed part of this new community. Even Martha, who held the most resentment for being ripped away from her family, came to be friends with Rose. It was a comfort for them to have each other to talk to and cry on each other's shoulders about their close knit families which they would never see again.

The Doctor, on the other hand, seemed determined to be distance himself from all of them. Rose had tried to talk to him about what happened and what it meant for them but he would find an excuse to avoid the conversation. Finally, Rose reached her limit. The Doctor had run off again and Rose was done waiting.

"Jack," she called out as she approached the new power generator.

Jack looked up and grinned. Rose had proven herself smart, capable, a hard worker and had an adorable sense of humor. He knew when he saw Ianto warm up to her that things would settle down. Ianto was picky about who he befriended and Jack knew Rose had initially made him nervous. Over time, it was clear, she was just like them and no more dangerous than anyone here. It was clear she was a person born with special abilities that she didn't ask for but had to live with. She was also beautiful and energetic and if there hadn't been a certain leather wearing Doctor around or if he didn't have Ianto, he would have made a play for her.

"Where is he, Jack?" Rose demanded, a determined look in her eyes.

"Who?" Jack asked innocently, knowing who she was looking for.

"Don't play games, Jack. You know who. Where's the Doctor swanned off to?"

"Ah," he answered. The Doctor, as a rule, didn't want anyone bothering him when he went off in a dark mood like he had but Jack saw the look in her eyes and knew it was time for the Doctor's brooding session to come to an end.

"The coral cave. You know where that is, right?"

Rose nodded her head. "Yeah, I know." She paused. "You and I both know he's hiding and it's got to stop."

Jack nodded. "He wants to be alone."

"Tough," Rose said sharply. "I'm tired of waitin' on 'im." She turned to leave

"Rose," Jack said, stopping her. She turned back to him. "He really does love you. It's just…he blames himself for so much."

Rose smiled softly. "Yeah, I know. But, Jack, he doesn't have to bear it by himself and he knows that. Him and me, we're… Well, we know each other and he knows what we are together. He can't run from that and I'm not gonna let him." Rose turned and left.

Jack grinned and muttered, "Atta girl!"

Rose made the long hike to what they called the other Halfs called the coral cave. She slowly made her way into the dark, damp cave near the large spring fed lake that provided the settlement with water. It didn't surprise her to find him here. She loved this place too. It was quiet except for the steady drip of mineral rich water that dripped from the ceiling which was lined with stalactites. The floor was slippery and wet on the way to the main cavern which was underground. When she emerged into the huge cavern, the phosphorescent glow of the algae greeted her reflecting off the mineral rich lake contained within and from which giant coral structures emerged in various colors and rocky designs. She had nicknamed it the Coral Gardens. She could feel the life of this place and the energy held within. It responded to the power within her. The Doctor hadn't liked it and ordered her to stay away, but she was Rose Tyler, and wasn't about to let him order her around. Especially, not when he was acting the brooding git.

She found him standing upright in the water, his face upturned and his eyes closed as if he was meditating.

She sloshed through the water toward him.

"Go away!" he ordered, without opening his eyes.

"No!" Rose answered back and made her way up to him. He opened his eyes and turned to direct a glare at her and she gave it right back at him.

"Rose, I told you to stay away from here. We don't understand the energy in this place or what's inside of you. You could cause a cataclysmic reaction. You wanna be responsible for destroyin' the world?" he asked, still staring hard at her.

"That's rubbish and you know it! And it's just an excuse for you to push me away. You can't ignore what happened to us or what we saw together."

"I'm not doing this. Go home." He then turned to leave.

"I can't go home! I can never go home!" Rose shouted at him.

He stopped and turned to her. She walked up to him now that he was finally paying attention. "I know you think this is your fault, us been' here, trapped here. But, it's not. This is meant to be. We are meant to be. Look around you at this place. You feel it just like I do. There's somethin' special here." Rose grabbed his hand and he tried to pull away.

"Stop it!" she chastised him. "I know what happened scare you. It scared me too. I may not understand what happened or why but if there's one think I do know, it's that I love you."

"Rose, please," he begged, the hardened shell he wore like armor crumbling.

She walked up close to him, not letting go of his hand. Her other hand reached up and caressed his face. "I'm not afraid of you. When I'm with you, everything feels right. We've both done things we regret. But, we have to live and we can make something beautiful here but you have to stop running from me."

Rose was right, he had been running. At first it was in fear of what he would do to her, how he would corrupt her and then it was about the power that simmered and bound them. He was afraid of what they'd become and finally, it was the guilt he carried and feeling he didn't deserve happiness he knew he could have with her. He had pushed her away and kept his distance but she was stubborn and determined and kept after him. He couldn't help the smile that crept onto his face at that thought.

"Stubborn, you are. Won't give up will ya?" he said, gazing into her eyes.

"Nope, not gonna give up on you," she responded, smiling at him. "And not gonna let you get away with makin' decisions for me either," she added with attitude.

He burst out into laughter that echoed around the cavern. He pulled her into his arms and slammed his mouth against hers, his tongue slipping into her mouth as she enjoyed nibbling his bottom lip. Heat flared between them along with something else. Suddenly, the cavern was alight with music but nothing like they had ever heard before. They pulled apart and looked around.

"The coral," Rose breathed in awe. "It's singing to us."

He looked at her with a soft and incredulous look. "It's you. They're responding to you."

Rose smiled at him. "No, it's us. They're alive and talking to us."

He laughed again and this time more carefree. The music died down in tempo. "This cavern is a focus for temporal energy," he finally said. This coral responds to it. I've been tryin' for weeks to get it to do something and then you come in her and with one fantastic snog, you solve it all!"

She gave him a tongue teasing smile. "Well, can you blame them? I mean who'd you rather talk to, the moody git Doctor or randy wants to shag Doctor?"

After that revelation, the Doctor insisted they experiment, in the nude and frequently. As their love grew and evolved, so did the coral and the new colony of Halfs. They soon developed new technology using the coral and harvesting energy from a local rift in time and space located far beneath the surface where the coral grew. It was a symbiotic relationship between the coral, the planet and the Halfs and was the start to a new civilization that would thrive for millennia and at the heart of it was the story of an old damaged Half who fell in love with an ordinary human who turned out to be quite extraordinary.


End file.
